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| Rep. Na Kyung-won, center, of the ruling Saenuri Party celebrates after winning a party primary as a candidate to head the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee at a party meeting held at the Assembly, Seoul, Thursday. The Assembly plenary session endorsed her as the chairwoman. / Yonhap |
By Yi Whan-woo
Rep. Na Kyung-won of the ruling Saenuri Party was endorsed as the first chairwoman to lead the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, Thursday.
Na, 51, a three-term lawmaker, beat Rep. Chung Doo-un in a party vote to select a candidate for the job. Then, she stood as the sole candidate after the opposition did not put forward a contender, resulting in strong bipartisan endorsement for her.
She will coordinate legislative activities on international affairs as well as inter-Korean relations with the foreign and unification ministries.
The new chairwoman will serve throughout the remaining 19th National Assembly term, which will end in May 2016.
"It will be a tough job," said Na in her speech.
"I'll ensure that the government and National Assembly work closely to resolve pending issues; and also put forth efforts for the Assembly to have a leading role in laying the groundwork for inter-Korean unification."
In particular, she pledged to draw support from both ruling and opposition parties to pass a pending bill on North Korea's dire human rights record.
During a regular parliamentary session in Seoul, 176 of the 208 lawmakers endorsed Na, replacing Rep. Yoo Ki-june of the Saenuri Party who was appointed as maritime minister, Feb. 17.
The National Assembly prohibits a lawmaker from serving as both a Cabinet member and the head of a parliamentary committee.
Na was the only candidate who bid for the post in accordance with the bipartisan bargaining between the Saenuri Party and the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD).
When the 19th National Assembly opened in May 2012 for a four-year term, the two rival parties had an agreement over which party will have the rights to nominate their respective members to lead the 18 parliamentary committees.
Back then, the two sides agreed that the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee will be chaired by a lawmaker from the ruling party.
The head of the 18 committees is chosen every two years unless he or she steps down early.
In the Saenuri Party's primary held earlier, Na collected 92 votes against Rep. Chung's 43. A total of 135 Saenuri Party lawmakers cast their ballots.
Na underscored her experience as a committee member, and also as the chairwoman of the 2013 PyeongChang Special Olympics Organizing Committee.
Na secured her National Assembly seat for a third straight term after winning the July 30 by-elections last year in the Dongjak-B constituency in southern Seoul.
Also a former judge, Na was first elected as a lawmaker in 2004.
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