Three lawmakers of the Democratic Party of Korea — Cho Jung-sik (six-term), Kim Tae-nyeon (five-term) and Park Jie-won (five-term) — have declared their candidacy for Speaker in the second half of the 22nd National Assembly. Cho, who served as Political Special Advisor to President Lee Jae-myung, is seen as the front-runner, though observers say an unexpected outcome is possible as rank-and-file party member votes will be reflected in the Speaker's election for the first time in history.
Cho declared his candidacy on Wednesday, saying, "As a Speaker from the ruling party with the blue blood of the Democratic Party running through his veins, I will work with the Lee Jae-myung administration to deliver tangible results that citizens can feel."
Kim, regarded as a policy expert, pledged, "The Speaker has no party affiliation, and there are no ruling or opposition parties when it comes to people's livelihoods and the economy. I will establish a 'People's Livelihood and Economic Strategy Council' under the direct authority of the Speaker."
Park, emphasizing his long experience, stressed, "The best politics is cooperation, but once I become Speaker, I will not accommodate the 'Yoon Again' forces."
Previously, only lawmakers' votes were reflected in Speaker elections, but starting with this election, rank-and-file party member votes will be included. Within the lawmakers' group, Cho is expected to perform well, while Park, who enjoys higher name recognition, is forecast to do well in the party member vote.
For the Deputy Speaker election, Min Hong-chul (four-term) and Nam In-soon (four-term) have entered the race.
