Seoul: The National Assembly voted Friday to elect Rep. Cho Jeong-sik of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) as the new parliamentary speaker. Rep. Cho, a six-term lawmaker, won 267 out of 276 votes cast during a parliamentary plenary session. He will serve as speaker for the second half of the 22nd National Assembly until May 2028.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Rep. Cho was named a party candidate for the speaker position after securing a majority vote in the Democratic Party's internal election last month. In South Korea, it is customary for the largest party in terms of parliamentary seats to assume the speaker position, with the two vice speaker roles distributed between the ruling party and the main opposition party.

In the 300-member assembly, the Democratic Party currently holds 161 seats, while the main opposition, the People Power Party (PPP), holds 110. The assembly also voted to elect four-term DP Rep. Nam In-soon and four-term PPP Rep. Park Duk-hyum as the vice speakers.