President Lee Jae-myung will invite ruling and opposition party leaders to the Blue House on the 7th to hold a government-ruling-opposition livelihood economy council meeting. He is expected to seek the National Assembly's cooperation for passage of the supplementary budget bill that cleared the Cabinet meeting last month and discuss response measures on exchange rates and consumer prices.
Hong Ik-pyo, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, held a briefing at the Chunchugwan press center on the 3rd and said, "President Lee decided to pursue the talks based on the recognition that national unity and bipartisan cooperation are needed to actively respond to the economic crisis and international uncertainties caused by the Middle East war."
The meeting is scheduled to take place over a luncheon at the Blue House on the 7th.
From the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, party leader Jeong Cheong-rae and floor leader Han Byeong-do will attend, while from the opposition People Power Party, party leader Jang Dong-hyuk and floor leader Song Eon-seok will participate. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, Blue House Chief of Staff Kang Hun-sik, and Senior Secretary Hong are also expected to attend.
President Lee is expected to explain the purpose of the supplementary budget bill that was deliberated and approved at the Cabinet meeting on the 31st of last month and seek the National Assembly's cooperation in responding to the fallout from the Middle East war. However, the agenda will not be restricted to specific topics.
The Blue House explained that the talks were arranged based on the judgment that unity is most critical as the national crisis stemming from the Middle East situation deepens. Senior Secretary Hong said, "Floor leader Song had previously made a similar proposal," adding, "President Lee made the proposal (again) after considering various circumstances." Floor leader Song had previously proposed holding an "emergency government-ruling-opposition roundtable" to review response measures on exchange rates and consumer prices.
Meanwhile, President Lee and the ruling and opposition party leaders had planned a luncheon meeting in February to discuss livelihood issues, but it fell through. The meeting collapsed after opposition leader Jang declared he would boycott just one hour before the meeting, taking issue with the Democratic Party's unilateral passage of the "court appeal law."