[THE INVESTOR] President Park Geun-hye met with the leaders of three leading political parties on Monday, urging for their cooperation in dealing with North Korea’s escalating nuclear provocations.
This was the president‘s first gathering with representatives of all three parties, since her meeting with the floor leaders in May.
“Amid the raised tension and threats caused by North Korea’s fifth nuclear test, it is important that the political circles work in unison,” Park said, greeting the political chiefs at Cheong Wa Dae.
The reclusive communist state conducted its fifth and strongest nuclear test last Friday, marking the anniversary of its regime foundation day and staging an apparent protest against the international society‘s growing sanctions.
Participants in the day’s occasion were Reps. Lee Jung-hyun of the ruling Saenuri Party, Choo Mi-ae of The Minjoo Party of Korea, and Park Jie-won of the People’s Party, each along with their chief spokesperson.
From Cheong Wa Dae were Presidential Chief of Staff Lee Won-jong, National Security Office Chief Kim Kwan-jin, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Kim Jae-won, and Spokesperson Jung Youn-kuk.
Speaking for the Cabinet were Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, and Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo.
As for the unconventional appearance of the NSO chief Kim, the presidential office explained that his presence was needed for the discussion of national security-related issues.
Finance Minister Yoo, on the other hand, was originally not included in the attendance list but was added later upon the request of the Minjoo chief who pointed out to the lack of an economic top official.
Parties had earlier come at odds over the selection of key agendas of the meeting. While the Saenuri focused on national security issues, highlighting the threats of North Korea’s nuclear test, the Minjoo pressured the presidential office to address the nation’s economic challenges.
“Today’s meeting is the only chance to talk to the president on the issues concerning people’s livelihoods,” the Minjoo chief Choo said at a party meeting earlier in the morning.
In her parliamentary speech last Tuesday, Choo had suggested that the president and party chief meet to review the domestic economy and to improve the people’s livelihoods.
The main opposition party also remained on guard against the government and ruling party’s gesture to embrace the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, an advanced US antimissile system to be installed here against potential North Korean attacks.
“(The government) may not use the North Korean nuclear situation to justify the deployment of THAAD,” said the Minjoo’s chief spokesperson Rep. Youn Kwan-suk.
The runner-up opposition People’s Party, while remaining a step back from the agenda battle, pushed the Blue House to dismiss a feud-ridden presidential aide as a gesture of communication and reconciliation with the public sentiment.
“Dismissing Woo Byung-woo will be the starting point to a pan-partisan cooperation frame,” the party said through a statement.
The senior presidential secretary for civil affairs Woo has for months been under fire for a number of irregularity allegations, some of which were related to high-profile corruption cases.
Despite the persisting calls for his resignation or dismissal, President Park has so far refused to send away her aide, sidestepping the issue in most official occasions.
The party‘s floor leader and interim chief Rep. Park, however, said that the meeting with the president at this point in time was nevertheless significant.
“There have been resentment within the party over the lack of consensus on the agenda, as well as over the sudden notification of the meeting,” he said.
“But I felt it unnecessary to question the format or agenda, as the key point is the communication between the president and party chiefs.”
Rep. Park was scheduled to leave for the United States earlier in the morning, accompanying Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun along with other party whips, but delayed his flight so as to attend the Blue House event.
By Bae Hyun-jung/The Korea Herald ()
