[Full Text] Speaker Woo Won-sik's Inaugural Address: "The National Assembly Must Contribute to the Lives of the People"

Inauguration of the 22nd National Assembly Speaker for the First Half Term, Emphasizing Three Points
"Follow Agreed Standards Despite Different Opinions"
"Enhance the Practicality of Legislative Activities"
"Make Society a Platform for Social Dialogue"

Woo Won-sik, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, was elected as the Speaker of the 22nd National Assembly for the first half of the term. In the vote held during the first plenary session of the 22nd National Assembly on the afternoon of the 5th, Woo received 189 votes out of 192 opposition party members who participated.

In his acceptance speech, Speaker Woo proposed three suggestions for the 22nd National Assembly. He emphasized the importance of adhering to the Constitution and the National Assembly Act by saying, "Even if opinions differ, let's follow agreed-upon standards." Secondly, he stated, "Let's enhance the field-oriented nature of legislative activities," and expressed confidence that "if each of the 300 members of the National Assembly has a means to listen to public opinion, our National Assembly will change significantly." Lastly, he said, "Let's make society a platform for social dialogue," emphasizing that "social discussion and consensus are essential and urgent." Below is the full text of Speaker Woo Won-sik's inaugural address.

On the afternoon of the 5th, Woo Won-sik, who was elected as the Speaker of the 22nd National Assembly, is giving his acceptance speech at the first plenary session held at the National Assembly in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Respected citizens and fellow members of the National Assembly,

I am Woo Won-sik, elected as the Speaker of the 22nd National Assembly for the first half of the term.

It is with a heavy heart that I deliver my first greeting as Speaker of the National Assembly.

I apologize to the citizens.

The election of the Speaker and Deputy Speakers is a constitutional duty assigned to the National Assembly.

It is not directly related to the distribution of standing committees,

and above all, it is regrettable that members of the ruling party did not participate in the election despite strong social demands to promptly and smoothly organize the National Assembly.

We must reflect and deliberate together on how the public will evaluate this first plenary session of the 22nd National Assembly.

The 22nd National Assembly begins its term amid overlapping and interconnected crises.

There is a crisis in people’s livelihoods and reform, a crisis of trust, and a crisis of legislative authority.

Above all, the lives of the people are in crisis.

Two years have passed since the new government took office,

but the lives of the people have not improved at all.

On the contrary, the overwhelming evaluation is that things have worsened.

This is true economically, socially, and politically.

Right in the midst of this crisis of livelihoods and reform,

the 22nd National Assembly begins its term.

The people hope that the National Assembly will become a support for their difficult lives.

Stabilizing the livelihoods of the people is the foundation of politics,

and therefore, politics must become the strongest weapon for the weak.

The declining trust in the National Assembly year after year

reflects how deeply the people’s despair is growing.

The resignation and despair that the National Assembly and politics cannot solve the problems of my life

is the core of the trust crisis that the 22nd National Assembly must overcome.

The bill discard rate in the 21st National Assembly approached 64%.

Although more bills were submitted than ever before,

only 35% were reflected in legislation.

Most, nearly two-thirds, did not even complete the review process.

In addition, there were 14 cases where the President exercised the right to request reconsideration of bills passed by the plenary session.

This is the highest number since democratization across all administrations.

In the previous 35 years, the right to request reconsideration was exercised 16 times.

Legislation is both the authority and responsibility of the National Assembly.

If the legislative power is not properly exercised in the 22nd National Assembly,

the trust crisis will deepen,

and the crisis of livelihoods and reform will reach a tipping point.

Respected members of the National Assembly,

The National Assembly must realize the will of the people and contribute to their lives.

There can be no disagreement on this. The issue is the method.

When opinions differ and conflicts intensify,

how do we manage conflicts and move forward?

I propose three things. These are proposals to competently and wisely overcome the crises I mentioned earlier.

They are also my personal commitments.

First, even if opinions differ, let us follow agreed-upon standards.

Claims and opinions can differ as much as possible.

The number of opinions and the ways to express them have also diversified.

Democracy now goes beyond diversity of opinions

to the question of what to do when opinions differ.

At minimum, standards are necessary.

We already have those standards.

Broadly, it is the Constitution, and specifically, the National Assembly Act.

The Constitution requires two things in the decision-making of the National Assembly.

One is popular sovereignty: all decisions of the state, including legislation, administration, and judiciary,

must not go against the will of the people.

The other is that the authority of the National Assembly comes not from relations between ruling and opposition parties,

but from its relationship with the executive branch.

All powers of the National Assembly specified in the Constitution, such as legislative power, budget review and approval, and consent to treaties,

are means of separation of powers to realize popular sovereignty.

If the Constitution points the direction of decision-making in the National Assembly,

the National Assembly Act stipulates specific procedures and rules.

The Constitution and the National Assembly Act are established social agreements and legal regulations.

Even if there is conflict, confrontation, and fighting in the process,

we must not deviate from the existing social and legal agreements.

If new agreements cannot be reached, we must follow the already established standards.

This is the first change that the 22nd National Assembly must make compared to before.

The Speaker will also make efforts.

Democracy is said to be “the right to debate and the duty to accept.”

As Speaker, I will support sufficient dialogue and debate among members.

Minority opinions will not be marginalized.

At the same time, when decisions are made, they must be made,

and even if there are disagreements, I will ask for an attitude of accepting the established standards and conclusions.

This principle will be firmly upheld not only in the National Assembly’s decision-making but also in its relations with the executive branch.

Second, let us enhance the field-oriented nature of legislative activities.

The National Assembly is a place to realize the will of the people

and a channel to reflect public opinion in state affairs.

To listen well to the voices of the people, we must be close to the field.

From neighborhood alleys and markets, the workplaces of the underprivileged in our society,

to cutting-edge technology sites competing globally,

public sentiment is in the field of people’s lives.

The field is not a changing event from time to time.

The public sentiment heard by the government and that heard by the National Assembly cannot differ.

Instead of arguing about what the will of the people is,

each of the 300 members of the National Assembly should actively enter the public sentiment.

The solutions to conflicts and the tasks of the National Assembly lie in the field.

If each of the 300 members has regular and constant means to listen to public opinion in any form,

I am confident that our National Assembly will change significantly.

If the pipeline conveying public sentiment to state affairs is strengthened,

state governance will also change.

Third, let us make the National Assembly a platform for social dialogue.

As life’s demands diversify and society becomes more segmented,

the diagnosis and conflict patterns surrounding problem-solving have also become complex.

From everyday issues such as labor, welfare, housing, education, and healthcare,

to national challenges such as the climate crisis, low birthrate, and regional extinction,

most urgent tasks our society must solve involve various interests and values intertwined.

If each party diagnoses and proposes solutions individually,

there is a high possibility of stagnation.

Social discussion and consensus are essential and urgent.

The more difficult the problem is to overcome by efforts in specific sectors or areas,

the more necessary it is to sustain social dialogue and build trust.

It is time for the National Assembly to play that role.

The National Assembly should take the lead in creating a forum for dialogue involving all sectors of society,

and institutionalize and regularize it.

If individual members increase field orientation in their legislative activities,

and the National Assembly as an institution acts as a platform for social dialogue,

the 22nd National Assembly will be able to create more concrete hope.

On behalf of the National Assembly, I also address the President and the executive branch.

The government must respect the legislative power of the National Assembly.

Respect is not just words but actions.

It is not about claiming respect,

but about the other party feeling respected.

Unless the laws passed by the National Assembly violate the Constitution or restrict the President’s constitutional duties,

the exercise of the right to request reconsideration should be cautious.

In particular, exercising the right to request reconsideration that harms the basic rights of the people

clearly damages the separation of powers and deviates from the Constitution.

It is also unacceptable to undermine the purpose of the law through bypassing enforcement ordinances.

I especially request the ruling and opposition floor leaders.

Please complete the organization of the committees within the deadline set by the National Assembly Act.

Even if it requires overnight work in the remaining period,

please prepare the appointment plans for standing committee members by midnight on June 7, the deadline set by the National Assembly Act.

If necessary, I, as Speaker, am prepared to work overnight together.

Members, especially those with constituencies, must feel this every day.

There are more closed shops and empty stores in every neighborhood than ever before.

How much lighter has the shopping basket become due to dizzying prices?

How hard are the struggles of office workers trying to save on lunch and transportation costs?

It is literally a livelihood crisis, and the National Assembly has a mountain of work to do.

The heightened military tension on the Korean Peninsula is also urgent.

The opening of the National Assembly cannot be delayed, nor should it be delayed.

Organizing the committees is literally preparing the National Assembly to work.

If preparation causes the loss of actual working time,

for whom and for what is that preparation?

There is no answer to the people’s question.

I will meet with the leaders of negotiation groups as soon as this plenary session ends.

The opening of the National Assembly is an obligation and duty to the people.

We need the determination to fulfill our duties and obligations to the people no matter what.

I ask for courage and resolution from the perspective of the people.

Respected citizens and members of the National Assembly,

The Speaker represents the National Assembly.

I am not on anyone’s side but on the side of the people.

A National Assembly that holds hands with the people in the field of their lives,

this is the image of the National Assembly I hope for and dream of.

Helping the lives of the people and enhancing their rights,

learning from the field and finding solutions in the field,

this has been my lifelong direction and value since my student days.

I will never forget that the time I have lived carries a heavy responsibility.

A National Assembly close to the lives of the people,

to create a National Assembly that the people can rely on,

I will do my best every moment of every day.

We must go into the people, not to the left or right.

We must go beyond the walls of the National Assembly into the people.

Together with my fellow members,

I will devote everything to creating a National Assembly that holds hands with the people among the people.

Thank you.