Lee Jae-myung's First Schedule After Returning from Vacation Is the National Assembly Speaker Election..."Administrative Power Excessively Abused"

Chu Mi-ae and Woo Won-sik Emphasize 'Myeongsim (明心)'
Woo Sang-ho: "If 'Myeongsim (明心)' Was at Work, It Would Be a Serious Problem"

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, ended a one-week hiatus and visited the election site for the candidate for Speaker of the 22nd National Assembly's first half. The so-called "Myeongshim (明心)," or Lee's intention, is evaluated to have tilted toward the six-term candidate Choo Mi-ae, while criticism was also raised that the party leader should not intervene in the position of Speaker, the second-highest national rank.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is shaking hands with candidate Chu Mi-ae, who is running for the Speaker of the National Assembly, at the elected members' general meeting held on the 16th at the National Assembly Members' Office Building for the selection of candidates for the 22nd National Assembly's first half Speaker. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

On the morning of the 16th, at the elected members' general meeting for the selection of the Speaker candidates held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Lee said, "The executive power is held by the ruling party, but it is excessively abusing administrative power and exercising it against the will of the people," adding, "It has become an important immediate duty for the National Assembly to restrain this and lead it in the right direction." He continued, "Forming a Speaker group capable of properly fulfilling the great responsibility of the National Assembly should be judged beyond the preferences of individual members, considering the fate of the people, party members, and the Republic of Korea," emphasizing, "I hope that a Speaker group worthy of the will of the people and party members and the historical mission, capable of properly carrying out the grave responsibility imposed on the Democratic Party of Korea by the people, will be formed."

Lee took a one-week vacation starting from the 9th. It is known that he was hospitalized at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital for cyst removal surgery and rested at home. During Lee's absence, the Speaker election was organized into a two-way race between candidate Choo and five-term lawmaker Woo Won-shik. Six-term lawmaker Cho Jung-sik, classified as pro-Lee (pro-Lee Jae-myung faction), withdrew his candidacy and agreed to put forward six-term candidate Choo Mi-ae as the sole candidate. Five-term lawmaker Jung Sung-ho, known as the leader of the pro-Lee faction, also withdrew, leading to the interpretation that the "Myeongshim" has effectively tilted toward candidate Choo. Woo expressed his determination to complete the Speaker election by stating on his Facebook the day before, "There is one day left for the Speaker election. I will do my best today as well."

Both candidates emphasized their relationship with Lee over the week. Rather than claiming neutrality, they seemed to be trying to appease the strong support base centered around Lee. Candidate Choo said on the 14th on Buddhist Broadcasting System's radio program "Jeon Young-shin's Morning Journal," "Party sentiment is Myeongshim, and Myeongshim is the public sentiment," adding, "Reform politics aligns with public sentiment and is the heart of Lee, the next presidential contender." Woo also revealed on the 15th on YouTube's "Kim Eo-jun's Humility is Difficult News Factory," "Lee told me something personally. He said, 'You have to fight firmly but achieve results with stability, and Woo Won-shik hyung is just the right person for that.'"

However, there were also criticisms that the current situation, where "Myeongshim" seems to decide the Speaker, is inappropriate. Democratic Party lawmaker Woo Sang-ho said on the 13th on CBS's "Park Jae-hong's One-on-One Battle," "I felt a sense of self-disgust seeing senior lawmakers with five or six terms either not running from the start or dropping out midway," adding, "If, as reported, these two (Cho Jung-sik and Jung Sung-ho) stopped their candidacies at the suggestion of Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae or Lee, or due to their close relationship, it is a serious problem."