Kim Sang-hee, Vice Speaker, "Opposition Party's Vice Speaker Must Be Elected Before Chuseok"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] On the 20th, Kim Sang-hee, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, stated, "The Deputy Speaker recommended by the opposition party must be elected before Chuseok."

Deputy Speaker Kim issued a statement that day, saying, "We cannot continue to leave the position of the Deputy Speaker recommended by the opposition party vacant."

He continued, "The current situation, which does not meet the constitutional standard of having two persons, is clearly a state of national administrative vacancy," emphasizing, "It cannot be left empty, nor should it be left empty."

He pointed out, "Since the composition of the Speaker's group is determined by the Constitution, it is not a position that can be neglected or left vacant just because political parties fail to reach an agreement while considering political gains and losses."

He added, "It has nothing to do with who takes the Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, nor should it be used as a means for political bargaining or achieving political goals. If the National Assembly, which drafts the Constitution, fails to fulfill even the obligations set by the Constitution due to political strife, it loses its reason for existence."

Deputy Speaker Kim urged, "We must ensure that the 21st National Assembly is not recorded with the stigma of failing to complete even the composition of the Speaker's group," and said, "Before Chuseok, the ruling and opposition parties should elect the Deputy Speaker recommended by the opposition party based on the spirit of the Constitution and show the public a fully formed National Assembly as a result. I ask the leadership of both parties to come back to the dialogue once again with a spirit of compromise and coexistence."