Seoul, April 7 (IANS) South Korean President Lee Jae Myung was set to hold a meeting with leaders of the ruling and the main opposition parties Tuesday, officials said, as they were expected to discuss measures to mitigate economic fallout from the war in the Middle East.
Lee is scheduled to meet with Democratic Party (DP) leader Jung Chung-rae, DP floor leader Han Byung-do, People Power Party (PPP) leader Jang Dong-hyeok and PPP floor leader Song Eon-seog at Cheong Wa Dae later in the day.
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and Kang Hoon-sik, presidential chief of staff, will also join the gathering.
The planned meeting will mark the first such gathering since Lee held a luncheon meeting with the rival party leaders in September last year, Yonhap news agency reported.
Presidential secretary for political affairs Hong Ik-pyo has told reporters that the economic situation stemming from the war in the Middle East will likely be discussed at the gathering.
Hong also said the meeting is intended to establish a consultative body involving the ruling and opposition parties to address people’s livelihood issues.
The ruling DP and the government agreed on Monday to seek the dispatch of special envoys to Saudi Arabia, Oman and Algeria to secure crude oil as the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping route, is effectively closed amid the US-Israeli war with Iran.
The DP lawmakers and government officials are working to secure crude oil supplies through consultations with countries that have alternative routes, Rep. Ahn Do-geol told reporters after a consultative meeting at the National Assembly.
They also vowed to step up diplomatic efforts to stabilise the supply of crude oil, including dispatching the envoys to Saudi Arabia, Oman and Algeria.
Authorities are pushing to dispatch five Korean-flagged vessels to the Saudi Arabian city of Yanbu on the Red Sea coast, according to Rep. Ahn.
–IANS
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