Woo Won-shik

Woo Won-shik (; born 18 September 1957) is a South Korean politician who served as the speaker of the 22nd National Assembly of South Korea from June 2024 to May 2026. 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 prior to his election as speaker in 2024. As speaker, he led the National Assembly's response to the martial law crisis and the subsequent impeachments of President Yoon Suk Yeol and Acting President Han Duck-soo.

Early life and education Woo was born in Seoul in 1957 and studied civil engineering at Yonsei University, later receiving a master's degree in environmental studies from the same university.

Election results Year Elections Constituency Political party Votes (%) Results 1991 1991 Local Election Nowon 4th (Seoul) NUDP 8,503 (36.71%) Defeated 1995 1st Local Election Nowon 3rd (Seoul) Democratic 17,037 (55.44%) Won 2004 17th National Assembly General Election Nowon B (Seoul) Uri 44,720 (41.51%) Won 2008 18th National Assembly General Election Nowon B (Seoul) UDP 38,104 (44.05%) Defeated 2012 19th National Assembly General Election Nowon B (Seoul) DUP 50,844 (49.72%) Won 2016 20th National Assembly General Election Nowon B (Seoul) Democratic 55,687 (51.95%) Won 2020 21st National Assembly General Election Nowon B (Seoul) Democratic 71,708 (62.67%) Won 2024 22nd National Assembly General Election Nowon A (Seoul) Democratic 91,986 (58.99%) Won

Career

Woo 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, and attacked the Supreme Court in 2004 for backing the permanence of the law. Later, in 2007, he criticized the U.S. armed forces in Korea for the poor environmental conditions on American military bases. He ran unsuccessfully for chairman of the United New Democratic Party in the leadership election on 9 January 2008, losing to Sohn Hak-kyu. He lost his seat in the 2008 elections, but stood successfully in the next elections in 2012.

As an assemblyman, Woo has been active in promoting labor rights. 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.

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

Woo is notable for leading anti-Japanese campaigns, and has been described by rivals as a "Japan hawk." One notable campaign was a two-week hunger strike he undertook in July 2023 in protest of Japan's plan to discard wastewater from the quake-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant. He also opposed the International Atomic Energy Agency's verdict which found that Japan's plan was safe. He formally assumed the position after being officially elected on 5 June 2024.

As speaker, Woo has presided over several important occasions such as the revocation by the National Assembly of the declaration of martial law by President Yoon Suk Yeol on 4 December 2024, during which he climbed a fence to get inside the National Assembly Proceeding Hall and refused to forgo standard procedures despite soldiers threatening to enter the session hall, and the passage of the impeachment motion against Yoon on 14 December. Opinion polling held by Gallup at the time also found him emerging as the most trusted politician in South Korea for his actions during martial law and the subsequent impeachment, with a rating of 56%. Woo was overruled by South Korea's constitutional court three months later, who re-instated Han as acting president.

Woo 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.

His term as Speaker ended on 29 May 2026 , rejoining the Democratic Party the next day .