Democratic Party to Incorporate 20% Party Member Vote in Speaker Nomination Race

The Democratic Party has entered a nomination race for the Speaker of the National Assembly for the 22nd National Assembly, incorporating party member votes for the first time with a 20% weight.

The candidates' stances are drawing attention, particularly regarding the Speaker's role, with arguments that the Speaker, from the ruling party, must closely cooperate with the government. This comes as a bill has been introduced that would allow a floor leader from another parliamentary group to act as interim chairperson if a standing committee chair fails to convene a meeting, and the chairperson could be replaced with the consent of a majority of committee members. Representative Cho Jeong-sik stated that the Speaker, coming from the ruling party, must work in tandem with the government. Representative Kim Tae-nyeon, meanwhile, referenced the legislative proposal that allows a floor leader from another parliamentary group to act as interim chairperson if a standing committee chair fails to convene a meeting, with the chairperson subject to replacement by a majority vote of committee members.

The People Power Party will select its candidate for the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly on the 13th during a general meeting of its lawmakers. For the Deputy Speaker position allocated to the opposition parties, representatives Jo Bae-sook and Park Deok-heum are running.