The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) on Tuesday elected a three-term lawmaker as its new floor leader ahead of a crucial court decision on the fate of party leader Lee Jae-myung.
Hong Ihk-pyo beat two other candidates -- Reps. Nam In-soon and Kim Min-seok -- at a general meeting of party lawmakers, becoming the party's floor leader at a time when the party is navigating a political crisis sparked by Lee's corruption allegations.
"I've taken a difficult role during a difficult time," Hong, who is considered a lawmaker aligned with Lee, said in his acceptance speech. "I will create momentum, a force, to unite the Democratic Party into a single team, so that we can win the general elections next year with Chairman Lee Jae-myung."
His election came five days after the former floor leader, Rep. Park Kwang-on, resigned to take responsibility over the National Assembly's passage of a motion to lift Lee's arrest immunity.
By law, sitting lawmakers are immune from arrest while parliament is in session unless the National Assembly passes a motion giving its consent to the arrest, a measure intended to shield lawmakers from political persecution.
The passage of the motion is attributed to a number of dissenting ballots from the opposition party that commands a majority of parliamentary seats, in the latest sign of growing division in the party.
On Tuesday, Lee attended a court hearing on an arrest warrant request against him over corruption charges, the biggest crisis yet for the former presidential candidate.
The Seoul Central District Court is expected to make a decision as early as Tuesday night if the hearing proceeds as scheduled.
Source: Yonhap News Agency