President Moon Jae-in urged the main opposition party to end its ongoing boycott of the parliament Monday, calling for bipartisan efforts to overcome what he called a grave threat created by North Korea's nuclear test.

"The security condition is very serious right now, and I believe we urgently need bipartisan measures to deal with such security conditions. Also, the establishment of a consultation body between the government and ruling and opposition parties is urgent for communication and joint management of state affairs," the president said while meeting with his top aides in a weekly meeting.

The renewed call for the establishment of the so-called consultation body came one day after the communist North conducted its sixth nuclear test. It also came after the main opposition Liberty Korea Party decided to boycott the regular parliamentary session, only two days after it opened Friday.
 

The consultative body is supposed to involve the LKP and three other opposition parties. They are the liberal People's Party, the splinter Bareun Party and the progressive Justice Party.

Moon also called for the government's own efforts to help minimize the economic fallout from the North's latest provocation.

"I wish for the policy office to review the possible impact on our economy and come up with measures to help ease the market. If necessary, I believe we may also consider holding a meeting chaired by the president to discuss economic countermeasures," he said, according to Cheong Wa Dae pool reports. (Yonhap)