Woo Won-sik "National Assembly Needed at the Livelihood Site... Let's Have Social Dialogue on the Medical Crisis"

Speaker of the National Assembly's Opening Address for the 22nd National Assembly
Speaker Woo: "Livelihoods Are Not Numbers but the Field"
On Government Medical Situation Announcement: "Different from People's Reality"

Speaker of the National Assembly Woo Won-sik mentioned the worsening economic conditions and the medical crisis on the 2nd, urging the 300 members of the 22nd National Assembly to promote policies that the public can truly feel, stating, "The role of the National Assembly lies in the lives of the people as experienced on the ground." He also proposed a social dialogue involving the government, political circles, medical community, and patients regarding the medical crisis.

In his opening address at the inauguration ceremony of the 22nd National Assembly held at the National Assembly in the afternoon, Speaker Woo said, "Livelihood is not about numbers but about the field. It is not about livelihood seen behind walls or in front of desks."

He pointed out to the members of the Assembly that "We must immediately embrace the livelihood issues." Despite improvements in economic indicators, the public’s perception of the economy is worsening, so the National Assembly must take the lead for the people's livelihood.

Speaker Woo said, "The field is the reality where the people live, and there is no livelihood site where the National Assembly is not needed," urging lawmakers to actively engage in field visits.

Woo Won-shik, Speaker of the National Assembly, is delivering the opening address at the inauguration ceremony of the 22nd National Assembly and the opening ceremony of the 418th National Assembly (regular session) held at the National Assembly plenary hall on the 2nd. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Regarding the resolution of the medical service gap caused by conflicts between the legislature and the medical sector, he urged the government to adopt a realistic approach and proactively review measures that fit the field and the people. Speaker Woo pointed out, "The medical service gap caused by legislative conflicts has continued for six months," adding, "This started under the name of reform, but the reality the people face is hospitals without doctors."

He continued, "Emergency patients are losing their lives while searching for emergency rooms, and now the public’s anxiety that they must not get sick is growing day by day. Even the medical personnel remaining in emergency medical sites say they can no longer endure it," criticizing, "However, the government claims that the emergency medical system is functioning smoothly. This is very different from the reality felt by the people."

Speaker Woo emphasized that to solve the problem, the government, ruling and opposition parties, medical stakeholders, patients, and victims must come together with determination to find solutions, saying, "Since many lawmakers across party lines are deeply concerned, please join in creating a platform for social dialogue."

He also urged the ruling and opposition parties, which have recently fostered a cooperative atmosphere by handling 28 livelihood bills in the August extraordinary session and holding a ruling-opposition leaders’ meeting for the first time in 11 years the day before, to promptly produce results on various livelihood issues.

Speaker Woo mentioned bills with little disagreement between the parties, such as easing debt burdens for small business owners, expanding parental leave, responding to deepfake sex crimes, supporting vulnerable groups amid the climate crisis, responding to electric vehicle fires and safety measures, and addressing delayed settlements by T-Mef (Timon and Wemakeprice), and requested, "Let us create a National Assembly that embraces the livelihood of the people by swiftly carrying out the promises made by both parties."

Furthermore, he argued that economic actors such as small and medium-sized enterprises, self-employed individuals, franchise stores, dealerships, and platform-affiliated companies should be granted bargaining rights, stating, "This is a means to create a 'balance of power' and improve unfair practices."

On the 2nd, at the opening ceremony of the 22nd National Assembly and the 418th National Assembly (regular session) held in the main chamber of the National Assembly, the Cabinet members are listening to the opening address by Speaker Woo Won-sik. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@