Kim Elected Speaker
By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
Kim Hyong-o, a five-term lawmaker of the governing Grand National Party (GNP), was elected speaker of the National Assembly Thursday. He replaces Lim Chae-jung whose term ended May 30.
As sole candidate, the 61-year-old politician received 263 of the 283 votes cast. The GNP has 153 seats in the 299-member legislature.
The unicameral legislature opened after more than 40 days of paralysis. Opposition parties boycotted the newly inaugurated Assembly, demanding the government renegotiate the deal to resume beef imports with the United States.
The Assembly also passed bills to establish six ad hoc committees to deal with pending issues, including the resumption of U.S. beef imports.
Parties will launch a one-month probe into the negotiations over U.S. beef imports in a bid to clarify doubts the people have.
A committee consisting of 18 legislators will work out mid- and long-term measures to improve the efficiency of public companies.
The parties agreed to handle revisions on livestock diseases to prevent possible mad cow disease, which opposition parties had adhered to as a prerequisite to stop boycotting the Assembly.
The Assembly is set to hold the opening ceremony at 2 p.m. Friday. President Lee Myung-bak will deliver a speech.
In his acceptance speech, new Speaker Kim called for bipartisan cooperation to help give hope to the people.
Kim will lead the first two years of the legislature. He previously served as floor leader and secretary general of the ruling party and worked as vice chairman of the now-defunct presidential transition team.