First Session of 18th Parliament Ends Without Speaker

Although the ruling Grand National Party and the Pro-Park Alliance without the opposition managed to hold the first plenary session Friday, the final day of the first extraordinary session, they failed to elect the speaker. This is the first time for the first session of the National Assembly to fail to elect the leadership in its 60 years of parliamentary history in Korea.

GNP floor leader Hong Joon-pyo said at the plenary session Friday, “Parliament speaker nominee Kim Hyung-oh expressed his opposition to selecting a speaker without opposition lawmakers at the session. The GNP, the Liberty Forward Party and the Pro-Park Alliance agreed to resume another plenary session on Monday. We will try our best to normalize the parliament through negotiations with the opposition parties.”

About 169 representatives from the GNP, the Pro-Park Alliance as well as independent lawmakers attended the plenary session. Parliament speaker nominee Kim Hyung-oh delivered his objection to electing the speaker without the opposition parties by skipping the session.

In a phone interview with the Dong-A Ilbo, Kim said, “I don’t believe it’s appropriate to select the speaker when the opposition failed to attend. However, that doesn’t mean that the opening of the National Assembly can be negotiated or compromised. We should no longer tolerate the prolonged administrative vacuum.” He also added, “The speaker should be elected at least 10 days before the 60th Constitutional Day in order to finish preparations for the national event.”

Earlier Friday, the GNP convened its general meeting to discuss related moves only to face its lawmakers’ evenly divided opinion on whether to go ahead with its plan without the opposition. After much heated debate, it finally concluded to postpone the speaker election.

UDP spokesperson Cha Yong said, “The GNP made the right choice not to open the parliament by itself. We expect the ruling and opposition parties to find a solution through dialogue.”

Meanwhile, Ju Ho-young and Suh Gab-won, vice floor leaders of GNP and UDP, met Friday at the National Assembly to discuss ways to resolve the issue. However, the vice floor leaders failed to narrow their differences over key issues including the revision of the Act on the Prevention of Livestock Epidemics.

A UDP official indicated that the party will participate in the public rally organized by the People`s Association for Measures Against Mad Cow Disease this weekend and prepare for returning to the National Assembly next week.

A key official of the UDP said, “The majority of party members say it’s time to return to the parliament after the final rally Saturday. The new party chairman who will be elected at the national convention slated for July 6 is expected to decide the timing.”

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