Yoon to host dinner meeting with ruling party leader next week

President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, shakes hands with ruling People Power Party chief Han Dong-hoon at the Blue House in Jongno District, Seoul, Jan. 3. Courtesy of the presidental office

President Yoon Suk Yeol will hold a dinner meeting with ruling People Power Party (PPP) chief Han Dong-hoon and other PPP leaders next week to discuss the government’s medical reform plan, his office said Thursday.

The meeting, set for Tuesday, had originally been planned for late August but was postponed after Han openly called for holding off the planned hike in the medical school admissions quota for 2026 to help resolve the protracted doctors’ walkout in a departure from Yoon’s stance.

Next week’s meeting will also be attended by PPP floor leader Choo Kyung-ho and other members of the PPP’s Supreme Council, as well as the presidential chief of staff and other senior officials, according to presidential spokesperson Jeong Hye-jeon.

“This meeting will be an occasion for broad communication where the presidential office and the party’s leadership get together to … discuss reform agenda, including the medical reform, and other livelihood issues,” Jeong said.

Han had been considered one of Yoon’s closest confidants during their times as prosecutors, but their relationship has soured due mostly to differences over how to handle first lady Kim Keon Hee’s acceptance of a luxury handbag and other sensitive issues. (Yonhap)