Will the Democratic Party Single-handedly Elect the National Assembly Speaker? Democratic Party Lawmakers to Meet One Day Before the July Extraordinary Session Opens

Woo Sang-ho, chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea’s emergency committee and the party’s floor leader Park Hong-keun talk at a committee meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the morning of June 29. National Assembly press photographers

On June 30, the Democratic Party of Korea will hold a general meeting of the party’s lawmakers and discuss the July special session. After repeatedly struggling to negotiate with the People Power Party on parliamentary leadership, the Democratic Party is expected to consider single-handedly electing the National Assembly speaker first.

This afternoon, the Democratic Party is expected to hold a meeting of its lawmakers at the National Assembly and discuss the July extraordinary session, which will open on Friday.

Lawmakers are expected to discuss their strategy on the floor, such as the method of electing the speaker and vice speaker.

Earlier in a meeting of the party’s emergency committee held at the National Assembly on the morning of June 29, Woo Sang-ho, chair of the committee said, “Floor leader Park Hong-keun can’t go all the way to the Philippines to talk, so it is now time to make a decision in order to restore normal operation (of the National Assembly).” He further said, “We believe it’s now time to proceed with at least the election of the speaker and get the National Assembly running.”

Floor leader Park Hong-keun also said, “An overwhelming majority in the party believe that if the People Power Party refuses to change its position, then we will have to elect at least the National Assembly speaker to handle urgent issues, such as those related to the people’s economic activities and the confirmation hearing,” and explained, “We will hold a general meeting of the party’s lawmakers on June 30, listen to their opinions as well as the opinions of the party leaders and decide what to do in the parliamentary session on July 1.”