The leaders of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) agreed Sunday to form a joint consultative body to discuss matters concerning people’s livelihoods where both parties share common ground.
PPP leader Han Dong-hoon and DP leader Lee Jae-myung reached the agreement at the end of their talks at the National Assembly, the spokespersons of the two parties said in a presser.
The meeting, which had initially been scheduled for 90 minutes, lasted for 135 minutes, they said. Han and Lee were initially scheduled to meet last Sunday but their talks were postponed after Lee tested positive for COVID-19.
Han Dong-hoon (R), leader of the ruling People Power Party, and Lee Jae-myung, chief of the main opposition Democratic Party, shake hands ahead of their first official talks at the National Assembly on Sept. 1, 2024. (Yonhap)
Han Dong-hoon (R), leader of the ruling People Power Party, and Lee Jae-myung, chief of the main opposition Democratic Party, shake hands ahead of
their first official talks at the National Assembly on Sept. 1, 2024. (Yonhap)
At the talks, the two party leaders agreed to work together at the Assembly level to resolve the protracted medical crisis stemming from the doctors’ walkout, while urging the government to ensure thorough preparations for emergency medical demand during the Chuseok holiday later this month.
“The leaders of the two parties shared the understanding that the safety of the people and their lives must be the priority, and that raising the medical school admissions quota for 2025 can no longer be discussed,” PPP spokesperson Kwak Kyu-taek said.
Discussions on the abolition of the financial investment income tax did not reach a conclusion, but they agreed to discuss measures to address structural issues in the stock market.
The two sides also agreed to discuss ways to enhance support for semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and efforts to ease debt burdens for smaller businesses and households.
As part of efforts to tackle the l
ow birthrate, the parties will speed up the legislative process to expand maternity leave for working parents, and to quickly implement measures to address, penalize and prevent sexual crimes involving deepfakes, they said.
Regarding the investigation into the death of a Marine, Lee apparently expressed willingness to accept the PPP-proposed “third party” appointment of a special counsel to look into the case, but Han said discussions within the party were still ongoing.
The presidential office said it welcomes the meeting between the two party leaders having taken place, and expressed expectation that it will serve as a catalyst to “normalize” the DP-controlled parliament’s disputes over key bills.
“The regular session of the National Assembly should be the first step in the commitment to politics centering on people’s livelihoods,” a senior presidential official said.
It marked the first time that the two held official talks as chiefs of the ruling and main opposition parties, and the first such meeting
between the rival parties since 2013.
They previously met briefly on Dec. 29 when Han took office as the party’s interim leader and paid a courtesy visit to Lee, but no current agenda items were discussed at that time.
Source: Yonhap News Agency