The 21st National Assembly's 'Half-Opening' Becomes Reality... Election of the Speaker Amid United Party's Walkout

United Future Party Attended Plenary Session but Boycotted Speaker Vote... Walked Out in Protest of Ruling Party's Forceful Push
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Park Byeong-seok: "Starting the National Assembly with Regret, Must Build a Trusted Assembly by the End"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Kim Hyemin and Lim Chunhan] The 21st National Assembly convened on the 5th, but the opening was half-hearted as members of the United Future Party, opposing the 'opening before the negotiation of the committee organization,' walked out.

The National Assembly held its first plenary session at 10 a.m. that day, officially opening the 21st National Assembly. Although all ruling and opposition parties, including the Democratic Party and the United Future Party, attended, the United Future Party protested the opening and immediately staged a collective walkout, abstaining from the vote for the Speaker. In effect, the National Assembly began solely with the ruling party.

This 'half-opening' without bipartisan agreement is the first since the revision of the National Assembly Act in 1994. The Democratic Party pushed ahead with the plenary session despite the United Future Party's opposition, which called for completing the committee organization negotiations before electing the Speaker.

Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the United Future Party, stated during the plenary session's procedural speech, "Since there was no agreement between the ruling and opposition parties, it is impossible to hold the plenary session. It is not legitimate," adding, "I want to clarify that we attended to protest, not to recognize the plenary session."

He continued, "We hoped that the ruling and opposition parties would agree on the first day of the opening to elect the Speaker and organize committees in a way that looks good to the public, but given the completely different situation, it is very pitiful and distressing to make the first speech." After his remarks, all United Future Party members stood up and left the plenary hall.

Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the United Future Party, is making a procedural statement at the temporary session for the election of the Speaker of the 21st National Assembly in the main chamber of the National Assembly on the 5th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Subsequently, the National Assembly elected the Speaker and one Deputy Speaker from the Democratic Party without the United Future Party. Park Byeong-seok, a six-term Democratic Party member, was elected Speaker, and Kim Sang-hee, a four-term member, was elected Deputy Speaker. In the plenary session, Park was elected Speaker with 191 out of 193 total votes cast, despite the United Future Party's walkout. According to the National Assembly Act, Park resigned from the party and became an independent, serving as Speaker until May 2022.

Newly appointed Speaker Park said, "The 21st National Assembly has started with regret. My heart is heavy in these grave times," adding, "Let us work together to make the National Assembly a people's assembly and one that is trusted by the public by the time this term ends." He urged the ruling party, "Please reflect on what true public will is that gave you an overwhelming majority," and called on the opposition, "Firmly break away from the wrong practices so far and restore the National Assembly."

Meanwhile, Kim Young-jin, the Democratic Party's chief floor deputy leader, criticized the United Future Party for walking out immediately after entering the plenary session, saying, "They walked out following customs that should disappear in the 21st National Assembly." During the plenary session's procedural speech, Kim refuted the United Future Party's argument that the session's opening was not a mandatory provision, stating, "The National Assembly can hold a plenary session if one-quarter of the members request it. Today's plenary session is about upholding the Constitution, which is a higher law than the National Assembly Act."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.