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By Shim Jae-yun
Rep. Park Young-sun, 54, of the New Politics Alliance was elected floor leader of the main opposition party.
She beat Rep. Noh Young-min in the run-off vote, becoming the party's first female floor leader. She was chosen as the new leader during a caucus of party members at the National Assembly.
Of the total 128 votes, Park earned 69 while Noh garnered 59.
Born in Changnyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, the three-term lawmaker entered the political circle in 2004, after a stint at the MBC broadcaster as a news anchor.
Park is believed to have received support from party co-leaders Reps. Kim Han-gil and Ahn Choeol-soo and other first and second-term lawmakers, as she is considered to maintain a moderate policy line.
In an acceptance speech, Park pledged efforts to invoke National Assembly inspection into the lingering Sewol tragedy to find out the real picture of the disaster.
"It is important for the National Assembly to set up a special law to dig into the tragedy and to help the victims and their families," she said.
Meanwhile, the ruling Saenuri Party chose Rep. Lee Wan-goo as its new floor leader.