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South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is scheduled to hold a rare meeting with leaders of the ruling and main opposition parties on Tuesday to discuss measures to mitigate the economic fallout from the war in the Middle East, according to multiple reports from Yonhap News Agency.

The meeting, set to take place at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, will bring together Democratic Party (DP) leader Jung Chung-rae, DP floor leader Han Byung-do, People Power Party (PPP) leader Jang Dong-hyeok, and PPP floor leader Song Eon-seog. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and Kang Hoon-sik, presidential chief of staff, are also expected to attend, as reported by Yonhap.

Coverage Comparison

All three Yonhap reports — which serve as the primary sources for this story — consistently confirm the gathering and its focus on the economic impact of the Middle East war. The earlier reports, filed on April 3 and April 7, provide additional context: the meeting is intended to establish a consultative body involving both parties to address people's livelihood issues, according to presidential secretary for political affairs Hong Ik-pyo.

One report, published after the meeting, notes that this is the first such gathering since President Lee held a luncheon with rival party leaders in September last year. The reports also quote President Lee's remarks during the meeting, where he stressed the need for bipartisan cooperation.

Key Claims

According to Yonhap's reports, the meeting marks the first gathering of its kind since September last year. The reports also state that the meeting was aimed at establishing a consultative body for bipartisan cooperation on livelihood issues.

President Lee was quoted as saying: "South Korea is in a serious crisis," and called for the ruling and opposition parties to work together to overcome what he described as a crisis triggered by "external factors beyond our control."

Regarding the extra budget, Lee said the cash handouts are intended to ease the burden on the public hit by soaring fuel prices. "We have prepared the so-called war damage relief assistance to ease the burden on the public as the increase in fuel taxes and inflation is so significant," he said, adding that "It is by no means populism."

The government plans to distribute cash assistance to the bottom 70 percent of income earners, with payments ranging from 100,000 won to 600,000 won per person, differentiated by income level, region, and whether recipients live in areas facing population decline. About 35.8 million people are expected to benefit, according to reports.

Lee also called on the PPP's cooperation in taking gradual steps for a constitutional revision.

Perspectives

The meeting represents a notable effort at cross-party dialogue amid an economic crisis, as reported by Yonhap. The reports emphasize the president's framing of the crisis as stemming from external factors — the Middle East war — rather than domestic policy. This framing is consistent across all three reports.

The reports also highlight the administration's commitment to funding the relief package through existing tax revenue, rejecting concerns about additional debt or taxes. Lee was quoted as rejecting the label of "populism" for the cash handouts.

The opposition PPP's stance is not extensively detailed in the reports, though Lee's call for the PPP's cooperation on constitutional revision indicates an attempt to broaden consensus on long-term political reforms.

As the meeting is ongoing or just concluded, further details on the outcome and any bipartisan agreements are expected to emerge in subsequent statements or reports.