The opposition leader and president may meet in an inter-party summit as early as this month to discuss pending economic issues concerning people’s livelihoods here.

“Students and parents are out in the streets, asking for a tuition cut, and we may not blame them because they are indeed under great economic strain,” said the main opposition Democratic Party chairman Sohn Hak-kyu at the party’s Supreme Council meeting Monday.

“It is high time that President Lee Myung-bak and I met to hold in-depth discussions on the pending economic issues which are pressing on the people.”

Politics is about hearing and embracing people’s voices and the president, too, should open his ears to their call, the DP chairman added.

The president showed a favorable response to Sohn’s suggestion.

“There is no reason to refuse the call for an authentic talk, especially if it has something to do with the livelihood of the people,” a Cheong Wa Dae official quoted the president as saying.

“I, too, have words to deliver to Rep. Sohn and wish to meet as soon as possible.”

As the president is scheduled to take an overseas tour in early July, the summit is most likely to take place within the month, according to officials.

This is to be the first inter-party summit since the 2008 meeting between Lee and then DP leader Chung Sye-kyun.

An inter-party summit was suggested earlier by Lee in February and Sohn hinted at his approval but it foundered amid parliamentary disputes, especially over the controversial budget bill.

The ongoing savings banks investigation, labor-management disputes and the renegotiation of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement may also be included in the agenda, officials said.

The DP leader’s offer came amid party competition to solve current economic issues and win the public’s trust.

Competition picked up as the Grand National Party promised last month a drastic cut in ever-rising university tuition fees and the opposition camp responded with even more plans.

The GNP also welcomed talks.

“It is desirable that the president and the opposition chairman should exchange opinions over pending issues and we welcome Rep. Sohn’s suggestion,” a GNP spokesperson said.

“The talk, however, should be an authentic one to seek solutions to the people’s economic hardships, not a political show,”

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)