Photo : YONHAP News
Anchor: The rival political parties have launched a dialogue channel to address livelihood issues such as the health of small and midsize businesses, under an agreement the two party leaders reached in September. The parties also sparred over the Yoon administration’s North Korea policy amid the regime’s troop dispatch to Russia.
Choi You Sun reports.
Report: The ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party launched a consultative body on Monday to discuss shared goals on issues that affect the people’s economic well-being.
The bipartisan effort is the result of an agreement that ruling party leader Han Dong-hoon and his opposition party counterpart, Lee Jae-myung, reached when they met September 1.
Ahead of the general elections in April, both sides pledged to seek legislation to vitalize the semiconductor and artificial intelligence industries, benefit small and midsize businesses, and increase the nation’s birth rate.
The two chief deputy floor leaders are expected to meet when a bill is stalled before a standing committee and negotiate a solution.
The parties also intend to hold working-level consultations to expedite the review of bills that fall under the scope of the agreement.
The rival parties, meanwhile, clashed over the administration’s North Korea policy.
While both Han and Lee condemned Pyongyang’s decision to deploy troops to Russia in support of the military offensive in Ukraine, Han denounced the North for threatening world peace and South Korea’s security and urged the main opposition to take a stronger stance on the matter.
Lee accused the Yoon Seok Yeol administration of trying to meddle in a foreign war by planning to provide lethal weapons.
He urged the government to instead focus on the national economy and address livelihood issues.
Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.