Moon meets ruling party leaders after election win

Politics 10:48 April 21, 2020

SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in invited ruling Democratic Party (DP) leaders to Cheong Wa Dae last week to express appreciation for their role in securing a landslide win in the latest parliamentary elections, party officials said Tuesday.

Moon hosted a closed-door dinner with DP chairman Lee Hae-chan; Lee Nak-yon, a co-chief of the party's election preparation panel; and floor leader Lee In-young at Cheong Wa Dae on Friday, two days after the April 15 general elections.

The DP and its satellite party won 180 seats in the 300-member unicameral National Assembly as voters supported the government's drive to contain the new coronavirus.

The party leaders said the huge victory was apparently driven by the country's success in slowing the spread of COVID-19 and a high public approval rate for Moon, according to DP officials.

"The government's quarantine efforts helped (the party win) the election," DP chief Lee Hae-chan was quoted as saying.

The president extended his thanks for the DP leadership's efforts.

The dinner seemed to be arranged in an effort to strengthen close cooperation between the DP and Cheong Wa Dae in managing state affairs stably during the remainder of Moon's single, five-year term.

Last week's general elections were widely seen as a referendum on Moon, who has two more years in office.