Parties to begin preparations to form consultative body with gov't

The four major parties agreed Monday to begin working-level discussions to form a policy consultative body with the government, party officials said.

On Friday, President Moon Jae-in proposed instituting the dialogue panel to ensure smooth and cooperative policy implementation as he faces an opposition-led National Assembly.

National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun (C) and the floor leaders of four major parties -- Kim Dong-cheol (L) of the People's Party, Woo Won-shik (2nd from L) of the ruling Democratic Party, Chung Woo-taik of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party and Joo Ho-young (R) of the Bareun Party -- pose for a photo before their talks at the National Assembly in Seoul on May 22, 2017. (Yonhap)

The agreement came during talks involving National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun and the floor leaders of the ruling Democratic Party, main opposition Liberty Korea Party, People's Party and Bareun Party.

Moon's Democratic Party currently holds 120 seats in the 299-seat parliament.

Cooperation with the opposition bloc is crucial for the new liberal president to carry out his campaign pledges. By law, a contested bill can only be sent to a plenary session for a vote with the consent of at least 60 percent of the sitting lawmakers, or 180 seats.

The four parties also agreed to hold a meeting with the parliamentary speaker every Monday to discuss their cooperation on key legislative issues. (Yonhap)