Chung highlighted that parliament should make preparations to cope with uncertainties sparked by the new US administration led by Donald Trump.
   
"We also have to focus on improving the relationship with China and Japan, which are currently facing deadlocks," Chung said.
   
Seoul has been at odds with Beijing on the deployment of the US missile defense system in the country. Its relationship with Tokyo also has been icy, especially surrounding Japan's enslavement of Korean women during its colonial rule and territorial claims.
   
Along with the issues, pundits said the voting age may figure prominently in the extra session as the proposed change could influence the results of the upcoming presidential election, which will be held earlier than expected if the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye is confirmed by the Constitutional Court. 
   
Park was impeached by parliament in December over allegations of corruption surrounding her and her confidante Choi Soon-sil.
   
If the opposition parties' proposal to lower the minimum voting age by a year to 18 is implemented, it would increase the number of eligible voters by some 610,000.

As younger voters are normally more supportive of liberal candidates, the conservative bloc has been reluctant to accept the proposal.
   
Failure to win support from conservatives in parliament will effectively block the passage of the voting age motion. The passage of bills dealing with voting have invariably involved approval of all sides. (Yonhap)