DP selects firebrand lawmaker Woo Won-shik as candidate for Assembly speaker

Members of the liberal Democratic Party (DP) on Thursday elected five-term lawmaker Woo Won-shik as their preferred candidate for speaker of the new National Assembly, which will convene later this month.

Five-term lawmaker Woo Won-shik, right, holds a bouquet at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, after winning the liberal Democratic Party's contest to select a candidate to take up the speakership of upcoming legislature. His competitor Choo Mi-ae stands on the left. [YONHAP]

Members of the liberal Democratic Party (DP) on Thursday elected five-term lawmaker Woo Won-shik as their preferred candidate for speaker of the new National Assembly, which will convene later this month.

According to the DP, Woo garnered support from an outright majority among 169 elected DP lawmakers present at a general meeting, beating out former justice minister and six-term lawmaker Choo Mi-ae.

A graduate of Yonsei University, Woo served time in prison for protesting President Chun Doo Hwan’s authoritarian regime in 1981.

After winning a National Assembly seat in 2004, Woo positioned himself on the left of the Uri Party, the predecessor of the current DP, by pressing for the abolition of the National Security Law.

He strongly criticized the Supreme Court for upholding the law in 2004 and also blasted the U.S. military for turning a blind eye to environmental pollution on American military bases.

His victory over Choo, another firebrand lawmaker, came as a surprise to most observers, who expected her to win.

Woo is expected to take up the speaker’s gavel for the first half of the 22nd National Assembly, where the DP won 175 out of 300 seats in the general election held last month.

While the speaker is expected to remain neutral and serve as a moderator to enable compromise when the major political parties cannot find common ground, the post is usually filled by the party with the most legislative seats.

In his acceptance speech, Woo expressed his belief that the DP’s bills “must be realized in the National Assembly in accordance with the will of the people” and that he would “consider whether proposed legislation is beneficial or right for the people” in his work as speaker.

While emphasizing the importance of bipartisan consultations, Woo also hinted that he would not let delays in reaching cross-aisle agreement stop him from allowing a bill to proceed if he believes the legislation is demanded by public sentiment.

“I believe that neutrality is valuable when it makes people’s lives easier and advances their rights. The speaker is not simply a chairperson. I believe the speaker should act in line with the will of the people, which is what formed the legislature.”

The two vice speaker positions are usually shared by the two parties with the most seats in the National Assembly.

Rep. Lee Hack-young, a four-term lawmaker, was selected as the DP’s candidate to fill one of the vice speaker posts.

The rival People Power Party (PPP), which secured only 108 legislative seats, has yet to elect its preferred candidate for the other vice speaker post.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]