Ruling and Opposition Parties Fail to Agree on Committee Formation... 22nd National Assembly's First Plenary Session Opens Halfway

People Power Party boycotts National Assembly Speaker vote
Choo Kyung-ho "Does not respect 45.1% public opinion"
Democratic Party "Meeting deadlines reflects public sentiment"
Woo Won-sik elected 22nd National Assembly Speaker for first half term

The first plenary session of the 22nd National Assembly began half-heartedly as negotiations for the formation of the parliamentary leadership between the ruling and opposition parties broke down. The ruling party, the People Power Party, boycotted the first plenary session after the opening.

On the 5th, the People Power Party held a party meeting and decided not to participate in the vote for the parliamentary leadership in the plenary session. Earlier, the People Power Party and the Democratic Party of Korea discussed the formation of the parliamentary leadership during a meeting of floor leaders but failed to reach an agreement. Both sides only confirmed their differences over key standing committee chair positions such as the Steering Committee and the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.

Woo Won-shik, the Speaker of the 22nd National Assembly for the first half of the term, is giving his acceptance speech at the plenary session held on the 5th at the National Assembly, which the ruling party did not attend. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Choo Kyung-ho: "45.1% Public Sentiment Not Respected"

Choo Kyung-ho, floor leader of the People Power Party, emphasized during his speech at the plenary session held that afternoon, "The first assembly day of the 22nd National Assembly proceeded unilaterally without agreement on the legislative schedule between the ruling and opposition parties," adding, "Because there was no agreement on the legislative schedule, this plenary session cannot be considered valid or lawful."

The People Power Party insists that the ruling party should maintain the seven standing committees it held in the latter half of the 21st National Assembly, including the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, the Steering Committee, and the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee.

Floor leader Choo stated, "The reason I am attending this session is to point out the problems and protest, not to recognize the plenary session," criticizing, "The 45.1% public sentiment that supported the People Power Party in the last general election is being trampled on and mocked without respect."

He further said, "The National Assembly Act stipulates that the first plenary session should be held on June 5 to elect the parliamentary leadership, but this provision requires the ruling and opposition parties to agree on the legislative schedule to hold the session," and criticized, "The major opposition party is pushing unilateral dominance claiming to follow the public will from the general election, but this only misleads the public sentiment." After his remarks, Floor leader Choo held a protest rally outside the plenary hall.

Chu Kyung-ho, floor leader of the People Power Party, is making a procedural statement at the first plenary session of the 22nd National Assembly held at the National Assembly on the 5th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Democratic Party: "Public Sentiment Demands Work Within the Deadline for Parliamentary Leadership Formation"

The Democratic Party blamed the ruling party for the breakdown of negotiations on the formation of the parliamentary leadership. Park Sung-joon, the Democratic Party’s deputy floor leader, emphasized during his procedural speech at the plenary session, "The floor leaders first met and have continued talks since May 13," adding, "The Democratic Party has nominated candidates for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker and had already announced the intention to elect the parliamentary leadership on this day."

Deputy floor leader Park asserted, "The public sentiment from this general election was to judge the incompetence, arrogance, and unilateralism of the Yoon Seok-yeol prosecution regime," and claimed, "The people's will is to elect the parliamentary leadership and work within the deadline for the formation of the parliamentary leadership."

He also said, "In the end, the People Power Party acted as a rubber stamp, watching the presidential office," adding, "In this general election, the people demanded that the People Power Party change its image, reach a turning point, and engage in politics focused on people’s livelihoods."

In the plenary session held that day without the participation of the People Power Party, Representative Woo Won-shik was elected as the Speaker of the 22nd National Assembly’s first half. Newly elected Speaker Woo received 189 votes out of 192 members present. According to the National Assembly Act, Speaker Woo resigned from the Democratic Party and became an independent. The Act stipulates that the Speaker cannot hold party membership while serving as Speaker from the day after election.

Speaker Woo will lead the first half of the 22nd National Assembly until May 2026. He requested lawmakers from both parties to "submit the standing committee appointment proposals by midnight on the 7th."

Woo Won-shik, the Speaker of the 22nd National Assembly for the first half of the term, is giving his acceptance speech at the plenary session held on the 5th at the National Assembly, which the ruling party did not attend. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@