The National Assembly held a plenary session Friday to elect new leadership as parties agreed this week to normalize the parliament after more than 40 days of a legislative vacuum. The session voted on a new speaker and two vice speakers who are set to work for the second half of the 20th National Assembly’s four-year term.
On Tuesday, rival parties reached an agreement over the formation of the parliament’s new leadership and its 18 standing committees. The former speaker’s two-year term ended in May, but the parties started consultations over the issue in late June as opposition parties were stung by their resounding results from the June 13 local elections.
In accordance with customs, the ruling Democratic Party (DP) took the position of parliamentary speaker and the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and Bareunmirae Party (BP), the second- and third-largest, respectively, each got a vice speaker post.
The ruling party picked six-term lawmaker Moon Hee-sang as its candidate for speaker who was elected accordingly. The speaker-elect emphasized the importance of better coordination and harmony between and among the parties. He added, “Last year was the year of the Blue House; now it shall be the year of the National Assembly,” signifying that he was determined to get things done.
As of now, DP members will chair eight committees, while the LKP and the BP will head seven and two, respectively. A joint negotiation bloc of two minor parties will lead one committee. Next Monday, the National Assembly will open a plenary session to elect the chairs of the standing committees.
The DP also plans to seek cooperation from opposition parties to buttress a joint declaration adopted after the inter-Korean summit in April through parliamentary ratification or a supportive resolution.
By MSEAP Cyber Secretariat (mseap@assembly.go.kr) |
