Roh, opposition leader to meet over economic issues next week

Cheong Wa Dae, the office of President Roh Moo-hyun, and the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) on Tuesday agreed to hold a meeting between Roh and GNP leader Kang Jae-sup during next week, Cheong Wa Dae said.

"Roh and Kang will meet next week to discuss measures to improve public livelihood and the economy. But the president's proposal for constitutional revision to change the presidential tenure to the U.S. model will be excluded from the agenda," said the office in a brief press release.

The agreement was reached during a meeting between working-level officials at Cheong Wa Dae and the GNP, it added.

If the Roh-Kang meeting takes place, it will be the first between the president and an opposition leader since September 2005.

On Friday, Kang proposed the meeting on the premise that it will only deal with the people's livelihood and the economy.

The GNP has rejected Roh's proposed constitutional amendment, saying it is only a political tactic to turn the tide in his favor ahead of the presidential election in December.

By law, a constitutional revision must be approved by two-thirds of the members of the 296-member National Assembly. The GNP has a block of 127 parliamentary seats, more than one-third of the total.

Seoul, Jan. 30 (Yonhap News)