Parties clash over parliamentary speaker selection

At the newly opened 20th National Assembly.
The three main parties are still locked in a battle over key parliamentary posts
Ji Myung-kil updates us on the ongoing tug of war.
The ruling Saenuri Party, the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea and the minor People's Party seem to be heading for another clash.
They agreed to finish their negotiations over who should take the position of National Assembly speaker by June 7th and select parliamentary committee chairs by the 9th.


"But their efforts will likely be delayed amid the continued conflict over who should fill these key posts."

Saenuri floor leader Chung Jin-suk says it's tradition for the ruling party to hold the position of speaker, and says the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea's single-seat majority doesn't automatically qualify it to take the post.
The Minjoo Party says it should hold the position, and it even offered to give up a valuable bargaining chip as its opening gambit.


"In order to prevent holding up the opening of the new parliament, our party has decided to give away the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee."

The position is prized, as the speaker can use his or her power to introduce a bill for a vote without first going through parliamentary committees, in the event of a natural disaster, a state emergency or upon agreement between rival parties.
Meanwhile, the People's Party is vying to chair at least two of the 18 parliamentary standing committees.

On a related note,... the rival parties are working to build their leadership structures.
The Saenuri Party named the remaining ten members of its 11-member interim council, after naming the chair earlier this week.
The group will be tasked with preparing for the upcoming party convention in July, when members will choose new party leaders.
The Minjoo Party will also elect new leadership at its party convention in August.
Ahead of that, it will discuss revising party rules at a general meeting of its lawmakers next