President Lee Jae-myung will invite the leaders of the ruling and opposition parties to the Blue House for a luncheon meeting on the 16th. It will be the first time in about four months since September last year. However, the People Power Party leadership has yet to respond to the Blue House's luncheon invitation.

President Lee Jae-myung poses for a commemorative photo with Democratic Party of Korea leader Jung Chung-rae and People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok during a luncheon with ruling and opposition leaders at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on the 8th./Courtesy of News1

Kim Byung-wook, the Blue House senior secretary for political affairs, held a briefing at Chunchugwan on the 12th and said, "President Lee plans to invite the leaders of each party to the Blue House on Friday the 16th for a luncheon-style meeting."

Kim said, "The luncheon meeting will share the main direction of state affairs for the new year and discuss bipartisan cooperation plans for restoring livelihoods and stabilizing governance," adding, "The president will express the intention to focus the government's momentum on laying the foundation for a great national leap and will ask for cooperation from the political community."

He went on, "At the meeting, there will be no particular limits on the agenda, and there will be a candid exchange of views on overall state affairs, including major economic and livelihood issues," adding, "The Blue House will continue communication with each party leadership and, based on unity and trust, will open the path to a great leap forward for Korea together with the people."

The Blue House conveyed its intention to hold a leadership luncheon to the Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party, as well as the Rebuilding Korea Party, The Progressive Party, the Reform Party, the Basic Income Party, and The Social Democratic Party of Korea. It will be four months since President Lee last met with party leaders, after meeting Jung Chung-rae, the Democratic Party leader, and Jang Dong-hyeok, the People Power Party leader, in September last year.

However, it is unclear whether the People Power Party leadership will accept the invitation. Reform Party leader Lee Jun-seok will not attend due to an overseas schedule, and Reform Party floor leader Cheon Ha-ram will attend.

Kim said, "As far as we know, there has been no reply yet from the People Power Party," adding, "If the People Power Party leadership wants, we are prepared to make ample time for dialogue. We will wait patiently until the meeting and hope we can be together."

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