Elected as Successor After Song Eonseok's Resignation
Proposing Solutions Through Dialogue and Compromise
On July 10, the National Assembly held a plenary session and elected Im Ija, a member of the People Power Party, as the chairman of the Planning and Finance Committee. Chairman Im stated, "I promise to demonstrate a respected female leadership that combines both delicacy and determination."
During the plenary session, the National Assembly addressed the resignation of Song Eonseok, the acting leader and floor leader of the People Power Party, from the position of Planning and Finance Committee chairman, and then elected Chairman Im as his successor. In this by-election, Chairman Im was elected with 210 votes out of a total of 242 votes.
In her victory speech, Chairman Im said, "We are facing enormous structural challenges such as the population crisis caused by low birth rates and an aging society, polarization and the disappearance of local communities, and the climate crisis." She added, "The National Assembly must present proactive solutions to these crises through dialogue and compromise based on the principles of liberal democracy."
On the 10th, Im Ija, a member of the People Power Party who was elected as the chairman of the Planning and Finance Committee, is delivering her victory speech at the National Assembly plenary session. 2025.7.10 Photo by Kim Hyunmin
She emphasized, "There are suspicions that our National Assembly is dominated by a numerical democracy that relies solely on the power of numbers, with dialogue and compromise disappearing." She stressed, "We must revive the true essence of politics, which is dialogue, compromise, and the spirit of cooperation."
Chairman Im pledged, "The Planning and Finance Committee is a key standing committee that handles the foundation of national governance, including the budget, finance, and the economy." She continued, "As someone who understands the voices on the ground better than anyone, I will lead the committee with the determination to ensure that economic policies permeate people's lives and lead to tangible happiness."
She went on to say, "I will prioritize balanced fiscal management, the realization of fair tax justice, and the recovery of the economy for ordinary citizens above all else."
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