Chung Sye-kyun is Elected as Uri Party Floor Leader

The ruling Uri Party convened a general meeting of Assembly members on January 24 and elected with unanimity of 107 members Rep. Chung Sye-kyun and Won Hye-young as the party’s new floor leader and chief policymaker, respectively. As a new leadership of the legislature, Chung and Won will take the lead in legislating economy-related laws and negotiating controversial bills, including the abolition of the National Security Law, for a year.

Chung said in an announcement of his political views shortly before becoming the floor leader, “To make a healthy economy which shows a virtuous circle of growth and distribution, it is the most important to put into practice the measures for people’s livelihoods,” adding, “Not only determination and goals for reform, but also responsibility for results matter to the ruling party.”

Won said in his announcement of his political views, “The confusion within the government’s economic policy-making system served as a roadblock to economic revitalization,” stressing, “It is important to create a clear policy direction and unified economic leadership through consolidating the economic policy coordination system among the ruling party, the government and Cheong Wa Dae.”

Chung Sye-kyun-

He is a third-term lawmaker who was the president of the student body of Korea University. He started his career as a politician shortly before the 15th general elections by joining the National Congress for New Politics in 1996 when he was working for Ssangyong Group. He is a policy expert in the real economy and does not belong to any specific political fraction, which can be a strong point as well as a weak point. He was known to refuse bribes from Hanbo Group in 1996, which made a clean image for him.

Jangsu, North Jeolla Province (55 years old), Law School of Korea University, an executive director of Ssangyong Group, central president of the Youth Federation for the New Politics of the New Era, Policy Commission Chair of the Millennium Democratic Party and the Uri Party, chairman of Special Committee on Budget and Accounts.

-Won Hye-young

He attended college during the emergency measure period and was put in prison for pro-democracy movement as a college student. He founded the company, “Pulmuone.” He made friends with President Roh Moo-hyun as a member of the Committee for the Promotion of National Reconciliation and Unity after former president Kim Dae-jung came back to political circles. He ran a restaurant named “Haro dongseon,” which means “useless things,” along with members of the committee in Gangnam, Seoul, after he failed in the 15th general elections.

Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province (54 years old), graduated from the history education department of Seoul National University, member of the 14th and 17th National Assembly, mayor of Buchoen.

Myoung-Gun Lee Ho-Won Choi gun43@donga.com bestiger@donga.com