President Park Geun-hye met with the leaders of both the ruling and opposition parties on March 17 to explain the outcome of her recent presidential visit to the Middle East. During the meeting, President Park urged them to support her policy goals in the National Assembly.

“As the first oil boom in the Middle East played a role in Korea's ‘Miracle on the Hangang River,’ which saw a flourishing of the economy, I hope that a second Middle East oil boom could create another 'Miracle,' which could become the driving force as we make another economic leap forward,” said President Park in the meeting with Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Saenuri Party Kim Moo Sung and Chairperson of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy Moon Jae-in.

“In order to make full use of Korea's diplomatic achievements and to realize the best outcome, I hope to see cooperation in the National Assembly,” she added.

“Among countries that sent laborers to the Middle East in the 1970s, Korea is the only one that has achieved economic development and which can now penetrated Middle East markets again,” said President Park, emphasizing the spirit of the Korean people who overcame difficult and poor conditions.

Saenuri Party Chairman Kim Moo Sung said, “The economy accounts for 90 percent of state affairs. As the global economy is now facing a crisis, with many difficulties at the moment, it has become more important that both the ruling and opposition parties work together and cooperate.”

Chairman of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy Moon Jae-in told the president that, “I hope that the Korean economy will benefit from the fruitful outcomes of your most recent Middle Eastern trip. The opposition party is willing to cooperate.”

By Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photo: Cheong Wa Dae
arete@korea.kr