South Korea's new finance minister, Hong Nam-ki, met with leaders of the nation's ruling and opposition parties on Thursday in a bid to drum up parliamentary support for efforts to boost economic growth.
Hong took office on Tuesday with the urgent task of propping up the economy amid sluggish job creation and tepid domestic demand.
In his first official visit to the National Assembly since his inauguration, he met with the chiefs and floor leaders of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and opposition parties.
The ruling party asked Hong to spearhead efforts to boost the slumping economy and create more jobs.
"The Korean economy faces many challenges, but I hope that the minister will play a key role in overcoming difficulties," Hong Young-pyo, the DP's floor leader, said at the start of his meeting with the finance minister.
But opposition parties pointed out that the government needs to rethink its push for the income-driven growth policy, President Moon Jae-in's key economic policy.
"We will actively cooperate with the minister if the government makes efforts to improve the minimum wage scheme and adjust the pace in pushing for the income-led growth policy," said Na Kyung-won, the new floor leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party. (Yonhap)