Three-term lawmaker Rep. Han Byung-do was reelected as the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's floor leader on Wednesday.
It was the first time that the major liberal party saw its floor leader reelected. Han will serve in the position for a year until May 2027.
Han took on the role in January to fill in for his troubled predecessor Rep. Kim Byung-kee, later quitting the post to run for a second term. Though he won by a majority, the exact number of votes he earned was not disclosed Wednesday.
Han, the sole candidate for the floor leader position, pledged to speed up the lawmaking process in line with the liberal bloc's agenda once the June local election is over.
Regarding the party's controversial push to grant a new special counsel the power to cancel President Lee Jae Myung's indictments in his criminal cases, Han said he would moderate the speed of the bill's legislation.
"I will collect opinions (about the special counsel bill) from citizens and party members over the timing and procedure of the bill's legislation and the content of the bill after the local election," he said.
The second half of the 22nd National Assembly begins late May, meaning the floor leader of a major party will take charge in the election process for the National Assembly speaker post, and the party lawmakers' committee assignment for the next two years.
Han will also represent the ruling party in negotiations with conservative rivals regarding how many committee chair posts his party will take in the second half of the National Assembly. The Democratic Party has hinted at taking all 17 standing committee chair posts.
Han is a lawmaker from the Iksan-B constituency in North Jeolla Province.
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