(LEAD) Ruling party elects new floor leader
(ATTN: ADDS photo, more info in paras 3-5, 12)
SEOUL, May 16 (Yonhap) -- The ruling Democratic Party on Tuesday elected Woo Won-shik, a reformist third-term lawmaker, as its new floor leader tasked with fostering smooth cooperation with opposition parties to support the new government.
Woo, 59, will succeed Woo Sang-ho whose one-year term ended the same day.
After his election, Woo called for party cohesion and vowed to support President Moon Jae-in's efforts to promote national unity, revitalize the economy, and carry out social and political reforms.
"We need to work together and stand united to achieve orderly reforms," he said.
"Thank you for the opportunity to work at a time when we have to shore up our democracy and people's livelihoods," he added.
The new floor leader is known for his pro-democracy activism in the 1980s, and his endeavors to stamp out unfair business practices by large companies, address economic polarization and support victims in a toxic humidifier disinfectant scandal.
In the early 1980s when the nation was in the throes of a democratic transition, Woo led student protests against the military-backed Chun Doo-hwan government, for which he was put behind bars.
Woo entered the political arena in the late 1980s when he built ties with lawmakers involved in pro-democracy activism, such as late liberal politician Kim Geun-tae, and served as their aide. He was first elected to the National Assembly in 2004.
Woo gained the public spotlight in 2013 when he chaired a party panel dedicated to protecting small enterprises or the self-employed against irregular -- or coercive -- business practices carried out by bigger firms. He had led the panel until last year.
The panel -- under the leitmotif of "economic democratization" -- has led legislation efforts to promote fair competition and cooperation among small and big businesses, and protect the self-employed and irregular contract workers.
Last year, Woo also led a parliamentary committee to investigate the toxic humidifier disinfectant scandal involving a large number of victims, many of whom have died of lung problems after using chemical products to clean household humidifiers.
Meanwhile, the minor opposition People's Party picked Kim Dong-cheol, a four-term lawmaker, as its new floor leader.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
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