PPP leader welcomes opposition leader’s offer of talks

The leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) said Monday he welcomes an offer of talks that opposition leader Lee Jae-myung extended upon his reelection as leader of the main opposition Democratic Party the previous day. PPP leader Han Dong-hoon made the remark at a party meeting while congratulating Lee on his reelection and voiced hope their envisioned meeting could lead to "substantial progress" on several stalled livelihood-related issues. "I hope we can set a time and place as soon as possible," Han said. Lee, who won a second term with a record high share of the vote Sunday, proposed bilateral talks with President Yoon Suk Yeol to address what he called the "most pressing" task of recovering people's livelihoods. He also offered to hold separate bilateral talks with Han to discuss "pressing issues," most notably a bill calling for a special counsel investigation into the death of a young Marine conscript last year during a search for flood victims. Earlier this month, the rival parties agreed to swiftly deal with bills on livelihood issues that were left aside amid monthslong partisan disputes over other contentious issues, including the special counsel bill. Source: Yonhap News Agency