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Woo Won-shik
Woo Won-shik (Korean: 우원식; born 18 September 1957) is a South Korean politician serving as speaker of the 22nd National Assembly of South Korea since 5 June 2024. He was a member of the National Assembly for Nowon, Seoul from 2004 to 2008 and returned to office in 2012. He was a member of Democratic Party of Korea until his election as speaker in 2024.[1][2] Early lifeWoo was born in Seoul in 1957 and studied civil engineering at Yonsei University,[3] later receiving a master's degree in environmental studies from the same university.[4] He was arrested and sentenced to three years of penal labor under the Chun Doo-hwan regime in 1981 for taking part in protests demanding Chun's resignation.[3] Political careerWoo 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 pressed for the abolition of South Korea's National Security Law,[5] and attacked the Supreme Court in 2004 for backing the permanence of the law.[6] Later, in 2007, he criticized the U.S. armed forces in Korea for the poor environmental conditions on American military bases.[citation needed] He ran unsuccessfully for chairman of the United New Democratic Party in the leadership election on 10 January 2008, losing to Sohn Hak-kyu.[7] He lost his seat in the 2008 elections, but stood successfully in the next elections in 2012.[3] As an assemblyman, Woo has been active in promoting labor rights.[4] He is a member of the Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee.[8] In 2007, he presided over the unanimous approval of a bill to allow academics at private universities to organize unions.[9] Following his re-entry to the Assembly, in 2013 he established the Committee for Improving the Standing of the Have-Nots or "Euljiro Committee", a group that mediates industrial disputes and works to protect workers' rights. He has served as the Committee's chairman since its founding.[4][10] Woo has served in a number of important positions in the Democratic Party and its predecessors, including deputy floor leader and deputy secretary general.[4] He is seen as independent of the party's pro–Roh Moo-hyun and Jeolla factions.[11] Woo also acted as opposition administrator of the special hearing committee to vet the appointment of Hwang Kyo-ahn as Prime Minister in May–June 2015, with the Dong-A Ilbo describing him at this time as having a "strong, steely character".[12] Woo is notable for leading anti-Japan campaigns, and has been described by rivals as a "Japan hawk."[13] One notable campaign was a two-week hunger strike he undertook in July 2023 in protest Japan's plan to discard wastewater from the quake-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant.[13] He also opposed the International Atomic Energy Agency's verdict which found that Japan's plan was safe.[13] On 16 May 2024, Woo was elected Speaker of the 22nd South Korean National Assembly.[14] He would become speaker after being officially elected on 5 June 2024.[13] References
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