Sunday 1 November 2009

Lee-Chung: Meeting Due Monday


Grand National Party (GNP) and President Lee Myung bak Chairman Rep. Chung Mong joon will meet over breakfast today at Cheong Wa Dae to discuss pending political issues, GNP officials said Sunday. On the agenda will be the National Assembly's planned inspection of ministries and government agencies, which will start Thursday, the result of the by-elections last week and the growing controversy over the government's move to modify the Sejong City project, the officials said. It will the third one-on-one meeting between Lee and Chung since the latter replaced Park Hee tae as the chairman of the governing party in early September. Park was one of the two GNP candidates who won Assembly seats in the by elections to pick five lawmakers. The main opposition Democratic Party won the other three seats. The gathering is taking place at a time when junior GNP lawmakers are calling for restructuring of the party's leadership and post election measures to regain public confidence.Some critics said the outcome of the elections indicates weakening public backing for Lee's major policies, such as the project to refurbish four rivers nationwide and the amendment of the Sejong City plan."Lee and Chung will focus on setting up a future course of action to get more public support for state policies,'' a spokesman said. "Lee is expected to call for the GNP's support for policies for working class families and low income earners, while suggesting measures to ease conflicts with opposition parties."