Cho Jeong-sik (sixth term, Siheung-eul, Gyeonggi), a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker, was elected speaker of the 22nd National Assembly's latter half on the 5th. As deputy speakers, Nam In-soon (fourth term, Songpa-byeong, Seoul) from the Democratic Party and Park Deok-heum (fourth term, Boeun, Okcheon, Yeongdong, and Goesan, North Chungcheong) from the People Power Party were elected to lead the latter half of the Assembly.
The National Assembly held a plenary session that afternoon and conducted the speaker election by secret ballot. As a result, Cho won 267 votes out of 276 lawmakers present and was elected. Immediately after the election, Cho said, "Next year is a year without nationwide simultaneous elections, making it a golden opportunity to properly discuss constitutional amendment," adding, "Let us fulfill the call of the times by achieving a constitutional amendment that reflects the people's aspirations and the country's future."
Cho also said, "With swift legislation, we will give the public a sense of political efficacy," adding, "We will make plenary sessions routine, and as a rule, we will handle in the plenary any bills that pass the standing committees and the Legislation and Judiciary Committee within the session."
Along with the speaker election, the selection of deputy speakers was also carried out. Nam won 251 votes out of 265 present, and Park won 214 out of 246 present, and were each elected deputy speaker.
Nam said, "I will do my best to build a National Assembly that resembles the diverse faces of the people and that reaches out first to a grieving and discriminated society," adding, "As a female deputy speaker, I will also pay attention to issues affecting women, young people, and people with disabilities, among other socially vulnerable groups."
Park said, "Only when the Democratic Party, the giant ruling party, shows the virtue of concession and consideration through big-tent politics can we truly move toward co-prosperity," adding, "Let lawmakers from the opposition parties, including the People Power Party, also approach with a smile." He continued, "As a National Assembly deputy speaker, I will represent the legitimate voices of the opposition, while holding the center between the ruling and opposition parties so that the Assembly does not fall into one-sided rule or extreme confrontation, and I will communicate constantly with senior and fellow lawmakers."
After electing the presiding officers, the ruling and opposition parties are expected to begin negotiations on allocating standing committee chairmanships for operating the latter half of the 22nd National Assembly.