President Park Geun-hye began talks Friday with the new floor leaders and top policymakers of the three major political parties, a crucial meeting that could set the tone of Park’s relations with the rival parties in the new parliament.

It marked the first time that Park has held a face-to-face meeting with the leaders following last month's parliamentary elections.

The ruling Saenuri Party won 122 out of 300 seats up for grabs in a crushing setback to Park. The main opposition Minjoo Party and the People's Party secured 123 and 38 seats, respectively.

Seventeen other seats are held by other minor party members and independents.

The change in the political landscape means that Park must work closely with parliament to pass a set of bills that she says are vital to reviving the sluggish economy.

Chung Jin-suk, floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party, has said that Park and other participants can discuss ways to cooperate on state affairs, including people's livelihoods.

A senior presidential official has said the agenda for the meeting could also include how to deal with security threats posed by North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons programs.

The main opposition Minjoo Party said Thursday that it will raise such issues as toxic humidifier sterilizers, job creation and household debt at the meeting on Friday.

Toxic humidifier sterilizers have become a high-profile issue in South Korea as prosecutors launched a probe into the products that have been blamed for numerous deaths and illnesses.

Park Jie-won, floor leader of the splinter opposition People's Party, demanded on Thursday that Park punish the related officials and the government offer a public apology over the failure to properly regulate toxic chemicals used in productes to clean household humidifiers.

A government-led investigation confirmed a connection between more than 100 people who died of lung problems and the chemicals used in products to clean household humidifiers made by Oxy Reckitt Benckiser.

The president and lawmakers must also work together on growing household debt which hit a record 1,207.0 trillion won ($979.7 billion) as of the end of December, breaching the 1,200 trillion won mark for the first time in the country's history, the Bank of Korea said in February. (Yonhap)