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Park's chief of staff meets with PM, ruling party leaders

July 22, 2015 - 20:40 By 김연세

President Park Geun-hye's chief of staff met with top government officials and leaders of the ruling Saenuri Party Wednesday to discuss the reform of the labor market, the parliamentary passage of the extra budget and other pending political issues.

The meeting between Lee Byung-kee and Saenuri Party Chairman Kim Moo-sung and floor leader Won Yoo-chul began at 6:30 p.m. Also attending were Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan.

The three-way policy consultation involving the presidential chief of staff, the ruling party leaders and the prime minister is the first of its kind since Hwang took office last month.

The meeting has also been withheld for more than two months as the ruling party had been embroiled in an internal strife when Park publicly lambasted former floor leader Yoo Seung-min for leading negotiations with the main opposition party on the passage of a parliamentary revision bill, which she vetoed citing its unconstitutionality.

Won replaced Yoo last week.

The participants will likely discuss various issues, including Park's recent calls for special pardons, approval of an extra budget bill and other measures to revive the economy.

Park has pressed the National Assembly to pass an 11.8 trillion won ($10.49 billion) extra budget bill to spur consumption and investment. The supplementary budget is part of a 22 trillion won stimulus package unveiled by the government to help revive the faltering economy. (Yonhap)