자유한국당 새 원내대표에 나경원 의원 선출
In the South Korean parliament, the main opposition party has a new leader -- Na Kyung-won, long a fixture in the party, she takes the helm as the first woman floor leader on the right.
Kim Mok-yeon reports from the National Assembly.
The main opposition Liberty Korea Party elected its new floor leader on Tuesday.
Four term lawmaker Na Kyung-won took the position, winning over rival Kim Hak-yong in a sweeping victory.
With the results, Na has now become the first female floor leader of a conservative party, replacing incumbent floor leader Kim Sung-tae.
Her primary goal will be bringing the party together and ending its factional divide, in order to regain public trust and pave the road for the next general elections in 2020.
Tuesday's election has been widely viewed as an internal race between those considered to still have ties with former President Park Geun-hye who was impeached in 2017 over corruption scandal.
Na has been viewed as having no factional ties to Park.
Speaking to reporters after confirming her victory, Na said that the results reflect that the Liberty Korea Party has chosen unity over division, and vowed to revive the nation's economy.
"I believe that my fellow lawmakers have chosen consolidation over division. In past administrations, our party was able to bring forward the miracle of Korea's economy. I hope that we could bring another miraculous change and improve the livelihoods of the people."
Together with two-term lawmaker Jeong Yong-ki as the party's top policy maker, Na takes the post until December next year.
With a new floor leader at the helm, anticipation is mounting on whether the main opposition party can overcome internal issues to press forward with a solid agenda that can accelerate long stalled parliamentary affairs.
Kim Mok-yeon, Arirang News.
