Ruling Party Selects Six-Term Lawmaker as Candidate for National Assembly Speaker

The ruling party on Wednesday elected a six-term lawmaker as its candidate for the next National Assembly speaker. The 63-year-old defeated two five-term lawmakers in a combined vote of party lawmakers and members. If approved at a parliamentary plenary session, the candidate would replace the current speaker and serve a two-year term covering the second half of the 22nd National Assembly.

The candidate is expected to win the position, as it is customary for the largest party to hold the speaker's post while the two vice speaker positions are split between the ruling and main opposition parties. A four-term lawmaker was elected as the ruling party's candidate for deputy assembly speaker.

The main opposition party selected a four-term lawmaker as its candidate for the next deputy assembly speaker in a separate vote the same day.

The vote marked the first time party members participated in selecting the parliamentary speaker candidate after recent changes to party regulations. An online vote by members from Sunday to Monday accounted for 20 percent of the total, while lawmakers cast the remaining 80 percent on Tuesday.

Elections for parliamentary speaker require approval from a majority of lawmakers. The ruling party holds 152 seats in the 286-member assembly, while the main opposition holds 106.

The ruling party's speaker candidate previously served as special political adviser to the president before resigning to seek the speaker position. The candidate also served as secretary general of the ruling party when the current president was its leader. The candidate delivered a speech during a general meeting of party lawmakers at the assembly in Seoul on May 13, 2026.