President Yoon Suk Yeol has called on the government to collect opinion from the ruling party through close consultation regarding an opposition-led bill mandating government purchases of excess rice.

Presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon said during a press briefing that Yoon made the call during a weekly meeting with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Monday.

A Presidential official told reporters that President Yoon issued the instruction because the ruling party is the government's partner in administration of state affairs. 

The official said the government will carefully review the revision, while collecting various opinions from farmers as well as farmers' associations.

The remarks came amid speculation that President Yoon would veto the bill after collecting opinions.

Last week, the National Assembly, dominated by the main opposition Democratic Party, passed a revision to the Grain Management Act.

The law requires the government to purchase overabundant rice from local farms when production exceeds three to five percent of estimated consumption or when the price drops more than five to eight percent on-year. The main opposition People Power Party said that it would ask President Yoon to veto the bill.