President meets former political rival in fence-mending efforts

By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, Sept. 16 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak on Wednesday met privately
with his former political rival and ranking member of the ruling Grand National
Party (GNP), Park Geun-hye, in an apparent effort to mend ties with the
still-influential lawmaker.
The president talked for nearly 45 minutes with Rep. Park, who had come in to
brief him on her recent trip to Europe as a special presidential envoy. Park, who
once chaired the GNP, led a five-member delegation to Hungary, Denmark and
Belgium from Aug. 24-Sept. 5.
The elder daughter of late President Park Chung-hee, she lost by a small margin
to Lee in the GNP's presidential nomination race in 2007 and still commands a
formidable faction within the ruling party, giving her a significant role in
swaying GNP policy decisions.
Wednesday's meeting came ahead of a set of by-elections next month, which the
ruling party needs to win to offset the losses sustained in the previous
elections. It was also held against a backdrop of debate on possible
constitutional revisions, political reform and President Lee's major economic and
social initiatives.
"The meeting was held in a very good atmosphere with laughter heard from outside
the room throughout," Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Park Sun-kyoo said at a press
briefing. He declined to elaborate on the exchanged conversation.
Lee thanked Park for accepting and successfully carrying out her role as head of
the delegation, according to Park.
"The group accomplished a great mission by successfully implementing all its
tasks at such an important time, and its achievements will continue to assist the
country and government in the future," the president was quoted as telling Park
and the other members of the delegation, that included four other GNP lawmakers.
The president asked Park to accept the mission again as a special envoy when
there is a need, adding he might ask her to visit Brazil in the near future and
quipping it would only be if she does not find the 30-hour flight too difficult,
the spokesman said.
Lee's choice of Park as his special envoy last month made headlines here as it
was unexpected. Park and her followers, the second largest faction in GNP
following that of the president, often publicly clashed with the president and
his policies.
Park later told reporters at party headquarters that she and President Lee had
discussed almost "everything" in their private meeting, except a constitutional
amendment recently proposed by the president.
Park told Lee that her delegation's trip to the European countries was successful
as it sought to win their support for an early signing of a free trade agreement
(FTA) between South Korea and the European Union.
"(We) stressed the need and importance of ratifying the FTA at an early date to
all the countries and they promised to do their utmost to help make sure the deal
is put into effect at an early date," Park said, according to the Cheong Wa Dae
spokesman.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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