Lee to meet with ex-ruling party leader Park

SEOUL, May 31 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak will meet with former ruling party chief Park Geun-hye later this week to talk about the outcome of her trip to Europe as a presidential envoy and other state affairs, the presidential spokesman said Tuesday, The lunch meeting, set for Friday, draws attention as Lee's relations with his erstwhile rival Park of the ruling Grand National Party have been tense, and Park is considered a front-runner in next year's presidential election. In Friday's meeting, Lee will be briefed on the outcome of Park's April 28-May 8 trip to the Netherlands, Portugal and Greece, presidential spokesman Hong Sang-pyo said. Four lawmakers, who traveled together with Park, will also attend the meeting, he said. Lee will then hold a tete-a-tete with Park to discuss the "current political situation, pending state issues and matters related to the country's future," Hong said. It will be Lee's first meeting with Park in about 10 months and the seventh since Lee took office in early 2008.