With filibusters (lawful obstruction of proceedings through unlimited debate) becoming routine in the National Assembly recently, the speaker has had to remain in the main chamber for long stretches. Speaker Woo Won-sik also said, "Since the opening of the 22nd National Assembly, there have been about 509 hours of unlimited debate across 10 sessions, and the speaker presided for about 239 hours." In political circles, there is even a joke that "the next speaker should have to pass a fitness test."
The next speaker is scheduled to be elected at the end of May next year. The next speaker is expected to be selected by the Democratic Party of Korea, which holds a majority of seats, narrowing down candidates and electing one in a secret ballot at a plenary session. If the parties are balanced, a candidate palatable to the opposition could be chosen, but with the Democratic Party of Korea holding an overwhelming majority, internal reputation within the party is likely to matter most.
Three lawmakers in the Democratic Party of Korea are currently being mentioned as candidates: Cho Jeong-sik (sixth term, Siheung-eul, Gyeonggi), Park Gee-won (fifth term, Haenam–Wando–Jindo, South Jeolla), and Kim Tae-nyeon (fifth term, Seongnam Sujeong, Gyeonggi). All are senior lawmakers in their fifth term or higher. Some say a higher number of terms helps in the speaker election, but the prevailing view is that beyond five terms it does not mean much. Their ages are Park Gee-won (83), Cho Jeong-sik (62), and Kim Tae-nyeon (60), in that order.
A fierce contest is already underway behind the scenes. Lawmaker Cho Jeong-sik, seen as aligned with pro-Myeong forces, is waging his campaign with pro-Myeong support at his back. Kim Tae-nyeon is said to be meeting lawmakers one by one as if picking them off individually. Park Gee-won is emphasizing being the National Assembly's most senior member.
Amid this, Cho Jeong-sik was appointed presidential special adviser for political affairs on the 28th, stirring considerable waves. With a major reshuffle likely in the Blue House's political affairs line—such as Chief of Political Affairs Woo Sang-ho and Secretary for Political Affairs Kim Byung-wook—ahead of next year's local elections, President Lee Jae-myung appears to have tapped Cho as the next mediator between the party and the presidency.
A lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea said, "Although the nomination of Lee Hye-hoon as Minister of Planning and Budget drew big headlines, within the party, the selection of Cho Jeong-sik as special adviser for political affairs became a bigger topic," and added, "It is meaningful in that it made clear the president's intent lies with Cho."
By contrast, another Democratic Party of Korea official said, "When Woo was elected speaker, the election went differently from the intent of Lee Jae-myung, then the Democratic Party of Korea leader," adding, "If Cho takes on activities as special adviser for political affairs, it could actually hold him back in the speaker race."