15 Facts About Woo Won-shik

Woo Won-shik is a South Korean politician who has served as Speaker of the 22nd National Assembly of South Korea since June 2024.

Woo Won-shik was a Member of the National Assembly for Nowon, Seoul from 2004 to 2008 and returned to office in 2012.

Woo Won-shik was a member of Democratic Party of Korea prior to his election as speaker in 2024.

Woo Won-shik was arrested in 1981 and sentenced to three years of penal labor under the Chun Doo-hwan regime for taking part in protests demanding Chun's resignation, then released in 1984.

Woo Won-shik was elected to the National Assembly in 2004 as an Uri Party candidate in the Nowon B constituency in Seoul.

Early in his Assembly career, Woo Won-shik pressed for the abolition of South Korea's National Security Law, and attacked the Supreme Court in 2004 for backing the permanence of the law.

Woo Won-shik ran unsuccessfully for chairman of the United New Democratic Party in the leadership election on 10 January 2008, losing to Sohn Hak-kyu.

Woo Won-shik lost his seat in the 2008 elections, but stood successfully in the next elections in 2012.

Woo Won-shik is a member of the Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee.

Woo Won-shik has served as the Committee's chairman since its founding.

Woo Won-shik has served in a number of important positions in the Democratic Party and its predecessors, including deputy floor leader and deputy secretary general.

Woo Won-shik opposed the International Atomic Energy Agency's verdict which found that Japan's plan was safe.

On 16 May 2024, Woo Won-shik was elected Speaker of the 22nd South Korean National Assembly.

Woo Won-shik formally assumed the position after being officially elected on 5 June 2024.

Woo Won-shik considers pro-democracy activist and former Democratic United Party senior adviser Kim Geun-tae as his political mentor and is known to wear a lime-green tie given to him by Kim on matters of important significance.