The National Assembly voted on June 5 to elect Rep. Cho Jeong-sik of the ruling Democratic Party as the new parliamentary speaker. Cho won 267 out of 276 votes cast.
Rep. Cho, a six-term lawmaker, will serve as speaker for the second half of the 22nd National Assembly until May 2028. He was named the party candidate after winning a majority vote in the Democratic Party's internal election last month. The assembly also elected four-term DP Rep. Nam In-soon and four-term PPP Rep. Park Duk-hyum as vice speakers. In the 300-member assembly, the DP currently holds 161 seats while the main opposition People Power Party holds 110. It is customary in South Korea for the largest party to take the speaker position.
