Who Is Chu Kyung-ho, the Floor Leader Who Was Voted 'The Boss You Want to Resemble'?

Elected with Majority of 70 out of 102 Votes
"Emphasizes Competent People's Livelihood and Policy Party"
Stresses Sound Fiscal Policy, Former First Deputy Prime Minister of Economy under Yoon Administration

Representative Choo Kyung-ho was elected as the first floor leader of the 22nd National Assembly for the People Power Party. Newly appointed floor leader Choo, who secured his third term in this election, is widely recognized as an 'economic expert.' As a traditional economic bureaucrat emphasizing sound fiscal management, attention is focused on how he will find common ground with the opposition party advocating for expansionary fiscal policies.

The People Power Party held a meeting of elected members at the National Assembly on the afternoon of the 9th and conducted the election for the new floor leader. As a result of the vote count, out of 102 total votes, Choo received 70 votes and was elected floor leader without a second round of voting.

Chu Kyung-ho, the newly appointed floor leader of the People Power Party, is delivering his acceptance speech at the 22nd floor leader election winners' meeting held at the National Assembly on the 9th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Floor leader Choo emphasized, "The People Power Party must become a competent party for the people's livelihood and a policy-oriented party." He said, "If the 108 members are divided, we can do nothing. The party with 192 seats will continue to look for gaps. We must remain unwavering here." Referring to the elected members present as 'elite agents,' he added, "We must ensure the safe return of comrades who did not survive the battlefield," and showed a somewhat solemn demeanor, saying, "We have been entrusted with the grave mission of correcting and protecting the nation's future fate."

Although he served as the first Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Economy and Finance under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, he is considered to have a relatively weak factional affiliation. Born in Dalseong, Daegu, he graduated from Korea University with a degree in Business Administration and earned a master's degree in Economics from the University of Oregon in the United States. He entered public service through the 25th Administrative Examination and began his career as a bureaucrat at the Ministry of Economy and Finance. He served as a secretary for financial and economic affairs at the Blue House's economic secretariat, then as Vice Minister of Economy and Finance, and as Director of the Office for Government Policy Coordination. After first winning a seat in the 20th general election in 2016, he held key positions such as secretary of the National Assembly's Planning and Finance Committee, vice chairman of the party's Policy Committee, head of the Yeouido Research Institute, and chief deputy floor leader.

Given Floor leader Choo's extensive experience both inside and outside the party and government, smooth negotiations with the opposition are anticipated. In 2021, while serving as chief deputy floor leader, he successfully negotiated an agreement during the National Assembly organization talks that allowed People Power Party members to chair the committees on Political Affairs, Education, Culture and Sports, Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Environment and Labor, Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and the Special Budget and Accounts Committee, just before the Democratic Party was about to take all standing committee chair positions. He also has experience agreeing on the 2024 budget with the Democratic Party as Minister of Economy and Finance. However, since Floor leader Choo has consistently advocated for legislation to codify fiscal rules, discussions related to the Democratic Party's proposed supplementary budget (Chugyeong) and the '250,000 won livelihood recovery support fund' are expected to face difficulties.

In 2005, while serving as head of the banking division at the Ministry of Finance and Economy, Floor leader Choo was recognized as a 'popular superior officer to emulate,' and in early 2023, he was voted the best superior officer among Ministry of Economy and Finance officials at the director level and above. Floor leader Choo stated, "I will restore competent and dignified politics and parliamentary politics," adding, "During the election, I was number 2 on the ballot, and today I voted number 2 as well, but I hope to become an elite unit that will surely secure number 1."