Democratic Party lawmaker Han Byung-do, who ran unopposed, was elected floor leader on May 6. He is the first floor leader in the party to win a second consecutive term.
The party held a lawmakers’ meeting at the National Assembly and conducted a confidence vote on Han. He won a majority under the party’s rules, which combine 80% of lawmakers’ votes and 20% of votes from dues-paying party members. The exact vote totals were not released under election regulations.
Party leader Jung Cheong-rae called it a “clean election” without negative campaigning and described Han as “a leader with a gentle temperament, flexible leadership and strong attention to detail.”
Election committee chair So Byeong-hoon said the party debated how to handle an uncontested race but decided to hold a vote because party members participate in the process.
Ahead of the vote, Han said “this is the golden time,” pledging to “maximize the governing momentum of the Lee Jae-myung government” with bold leadership and to be a floor leader who shares lawmakers’ legislative work and concerns. In his acceptance speech, he said he would finish all legislation tied to the government’s policy agenda by the end of the year.
Han began his duties immediately. With a National Assembly plenary vote on a constitutional amendment bill scheduled for May 7, he is expected to take a leading role. With National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik holding a surprise meeting ahead of the lawmakers’ session with Jang Dong-hyuk of the People Power Party, there is also talk that Han and PPP floor leader Song Eon-seok could coordinate positions before the plenary session.
Han is also expected to negotiate the content and timing of a controversial special counsel bill on alleged fabricated prosecutions. President Lee Jae-myung said on May 4 that the bill requires public input and deliberation. With disagreements emerging within the party over timing, Han said immediately after his election that it would be handled after the local elections.
Another major task is whether to allow prosecutors to retain supplementary investigative powers, a key flashpoint in prosecutorial reform. The party previously passed bills to create a Major Crimes Investigation Agency and a Prosecution Service, but delayed further action after internal conflict over supplementary investigative authority. Lee has said prosecutors need such powers in exceptional cases, while hard-liners in the party argue they should not be allowed at all.
Han also holds authority over the makeup of standing committees for the second half of the term. He has warned that if committees chaired by People Power Party lawmakers fail to function and obstruct state affairs, the Democratic Party could consider taking all chair posts.
Han was elected in a January by-election and led the parliamentary caucus for 101 days before resigning on April 21 to run again. He has been credited with stabilizing the caucus after former floor leader Kim Byung-ki resigned abruptly amid various allegations.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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