President Yoon Suk Yeol (right) shakes hands with Han Dong-hoon, chief of the ruling People Power Party, upon his arrival at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, south of Seoul, Tuesday, 2024, from his trip to the Czech Republic. (Yonhap)
President Yoon Suk Yeol hosted a dinner meeting with the leadership of the ruling People Power Party on Tuesday, which will be a test of how he decides to manage relations with PPP chief Han Dong-hoon and address pending issues.
Yoon met with Han, PPP floor leader Rep. Choo Kyung-ho and Supreme Council members at the presidential office, the second such gathering following Han's election in July.
The gathering was initially planned for late August but was postponed after Han diverged from Yoon's stance by calling for a delay in the planned increase of medical school admissions for 2026 as a way to resolve junior doctors' prolonged strike.
Han had requested a private meeting with Yoon in addition to the group dinner, but the presidential office spurned the proposed one-on-one meeting, citing the need for further consultations.
Although Han was once seen as one of Yoon's close confidants from their days as prosecutors, their relationship has soured due mostly to differences over how to handle first lady Kim Keon Hee's acceptance of a luxury handbag and other sensitive issues.
The meeting came at a time when Yoon faces multiple challenges, including a deadlock over the medical reform and controversies involving the first lady, which have contributed to his low approval ratings.
Han is expected to push for discussions on the medical school quota issue to form a consultative body with the government, opposition parties and the medical community.
When asked about whether Kim's issues were among the agenda for the proposed private meeting with Yoon, Han told reporters Tuesday it is one of the important issues.
Last week, the main opposition Democratic Party unilaterally passed a bill for a special counsel investigation into the allegation of stock price manipulation involving the first lady, her receipt of a luxury bag and her alleged interference in candidate nominations of the ruling party. The PPP chief had previously proposed a "third-party" special counsel bill upon his election.
Yoon is widely like to exercise his veto power against the special counsel bill as his office has already voiced opposition to it. (Yonhap)
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