The ruling Democratic Party of Korea on Wednesday elected Rep. Cho Jeong-sik, a six-term lawmaker, as the final candidate to assume the role of speaker for the second half of the 22nd National Assembly.
Cho, 62, garnered majority of votes at the ruling party lawmakers' general assembly. The party did not disclose the vote total, which combines the ballots of ruling party lawmakers and dues-paying party members. He is likely to gain approval to assume the role in a plenary sesssion at the Assembly, where the ruling party holds a majority.
The next speaker's term will run until May 2028.
After the party meeting, Cho said he would revive a push for a constitutional amendment in the near future by forming a special parliamentary committee during his term. Cho had earlier pledged to allow a president to serve up to eight years in two terms, transitioning from five years in one term, via an amendment.
Cho will replace outgoing Speaker Rep. Woo Won-shik, who was affiliated with the Democratic Party before serving in the position. Woo, who is currently traveling to Kenya and the Netherlands, will end his term on May 29. The Assembly Speaker role is technically nonpartisan.
Competing with Cho for the post were Reps. Kim Tae-nyeon and Park Jie-won, both five-term lawmakers.
The winner in the party election will require the approval of a plenary session of the National Assembly, with more than half of votes in favor. The Democratic Party currently holds 152 seats out of the 286 occupied at the National Assembly.
For the deputy speaker post assigned to the ruling party, Democratic Party Rep. Nam In-soon overcame Rep. Min Hong-chul in the party election. Both are four-term lawmakers. Nam will take the place of Rep. Lee Hack-young.
Meanwhile, earlier Wednesday four-time main opposition People Power Party's Rep. Park Duk-hyum beat five-term lawmaker Rep. Cho Bae-sook and six-term lawmaker Rep. Cho Kyoung-tae in the deputy speaker election for the party.
Park of the People Power Party, who currently serves as the party's election committee chief ahead of the local election on June 3, will replace six-term lawmaker Rep. Joo Ho-young.
In the acceptance speech, Park pledged to stop the liberal bloc from abusing its legislative power to pass a controversial special counsel bill that could clear all criminal charges of the incumbent president.
The motion to formally elect the speaker from the ruling party and two deputy speakers from the two main rival parties requires a majority of votes at the plenary session.
The Democratic Party has pushed for a plenary meeting on May 20, but the date for the election has yet to be determined.
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