President Park Geun-hye will invite all members of the ruling conservative Saenuri Party to Cheong Wa Dae this Friday, seeking to bolster the administration-legislature ties in the new National Assembly, according to the party’s leadership on Tuesday.

The Saenuri floor leader Rep. Chung Jin-suk announced in a party meeting that all of the party’s 129 lawmakers have been invited to a luncheon to be held at the presidential office on Friday.

This is to be the third time for the president to meet with the entire party since she took office in February 2013.
The floor leader also said that the government, presidential office and ruling party will hold a three-way talk on Thursday at Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn’s office over key state agendas including the extra budget bill, restructuring of ailing industries and labor reform plans.

“The occasion will serve as an opportunity (for the party) to renew its pledge, be more productive in the 20th National Assembly and to devote all energy to revitalizing the economy and looking after the people’s livelihood,” Chung told reporters.

At the luncheon, the president is expected to call for her home party’s support in implementing the four structural reforms, including labor reforms.

For this, it is likely that she will once again refer to Britain’s recent vote to exit the European Union and the persisting military provocations from North Korea to underline the crisis in the nation’s economy and security.

The arrangement on Friday’s gathering came amid tensions between the Blue House and the ruling party, following the latter’s decision to reinstate a group of defected lawmakers in the run up to the April 13 general election.

Of them is Rep. Yoo Seong-min, fourth-termer in the conservative stronghold city of Daegu and former party floor leader, whose close relationship with the president soured last year over the passage of a controversial parliamentary bill of which Park disapproved.

President Park is also seeking to hold a luncheon next month with parliamentary Speaker Chung Sye-kyun and chairmen of key standing committees, according to Cheong Wa Dae officials.

“The plan was (for the president) to meet with the parliamentary chair group first but due to scheduling problems, the occasion was put off,” said an official.

By Bae Hyun-jung(tellme@heraldcorp.com)