Former National Assembly Speaker Chae Mun-shik dies

Former National Assembly Speaker Chae Mun-shik died at his home in Guro-gu, Seoul, Saturday. He was 86.

A graduate of the department of political science at Seoul National University, Chae began his political career in 1971 when he was first elected to the National Assembly on the ticket of the now-defunct New Democratic Party (NDP) under the proportional representation system.

He then won reelection four times in the Munkyoung-Yecheon district, North Gyeongsang Province, through a direct vote ­ twice each on the ticket of the NDP and the now-dissolved Democratic Justice Party.

He served as speaker from 1983 to 1985, after working as vice speaker, and president of the 70th Inter-Parliamentary Union conference in Seoul and president of the South Korea-the Netherlands Parliamentarians’ Friendship Association.

Chae is survived by three sons and one daughter.

The funeral service will be held at the National Assembly tomorrow. He will be buried at the National Cemetery in Daejeon.