Rep. Cho Jeong-sik, nominated as candidate for Speaker of the National Assembly [Yonhap News]On May 14, the People Power Party urged Cho Jeong-sik (63), a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea, who was elected as the candidate for the Speaker of the National Assembly for the second half of the 22nd term, to become the head of the legislature who upholds "the will of the people" rather than "the will of Chairman Lee Jae-myung."

In a statement that day, Chief Spokesperson Choi Bo-yun said, "The Democratic Party has elected Representative Cho Jeong-sik as the Speaker of the National Assembly for the second half of the 22nd term. We congratulate him and expect that his rich experience, accumulated as a six-term lawmaker, will lead to the stable operation of the National Assembly."

However, Choi added, "The various controversies revealed during the selection process cannot help but raise deep concerns about the neutrality and status of the head of the legislature." She pointed out, "The president's direct sharing of a post supporting a specific candidate on social media just two hours before the closing of the primary voting is a blatant interference in party affairs and a violation of the spirit of the separation of powers."

She continued, "The scene where the head of the executive branch appears to be virtually 'anointing' the head of the legislative branch is a dangerous attempt to shake the foundation of democracy." She added, "Criticism that 'the Speaker of the National Assembly is not a subordinate of the President' must be painfully accepted."

Furthermore, she stated, "The head of the legislative branch is an arbitrator who checks the executive branch and coordinates diverse voices, not an attacker for a specific camp." She concluded, "A public pledge to create a National Assembly for all citizens must take precedence over the determination to help the Lee Jae-myung administration succeed."