Lee set to meet leaders of ruling, opposition parties

▲ President Lee Jae Myung (Yonhap)

Lee-politics

Lee set to meet leaders of ruling, opposition parties

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, Jan. 16 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung is set to host a meeting with the leaders of ruling and opposition parties Friday, Cheong Wa Dae said, with Lee expected to ask for bipartisan cooperation on state affairs.

Lee has invited the leaders of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) and five minor parties to a luncheon at Cheong Wa Dae.

However, PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok is unlikely to attend the meeting. On Thursday, Jang launched a hunger strike, demanding the DP accept special probe bills on allegations of bribery involving the Unification Church and separate claims of illicit payments linked to the DP's election nominations.

The five minor parties are the Rebuilding Korea Party, the New Reform Party, the Basic Income Party, the Jinbo Party and the Social Democratic Party.

During the meeting, Lee is expected to share the outcomes of his recent visits to China and Japan, exchange views on overall state affairs, and ask for political support for the government's policy efforts.

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