Ruling Democratic Party of Korea on Wednesday elected Rep. Lee In-young as its new floor leader to navigate through the political impasse with main opposition Liberty Korea Parry and carry the party to victory in next year‘s general elections.

Three-term lawmaker Lee, 55, received 76 votes out of 125 to clinch the floor leader’s position, vowing to win the upcoming general election in April next year.

Lee’s rival Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon received 49 votes in the second round of voting.

In his acceptance speech, Lee pledged to “sacrifice (myself) to win next year’s election and achieve unity.”

Lee, who served as the first chairman of Jundaehyup, a now-disbanded student activist organization formed in 1987, has held key roles in multiple groups within the party.

Lee has also served as the director of then-Presidential candidate Moon Jae-in’s election polling committee, ruling party’s supreme councilor and chairman of the parliamentary special committee on economic cooperation of North Korea and South Korea.

Lee promised to work as a “soft” floor leader and serve fellow party members jointly with party leader Lee Hae-chan.

In the first round Lee received 54 votes, Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon 37, and Rep. Noh Woong-rae 34.

One of Lee‘s immediate tasks is to resume stalled talks with main opposition Liberty Korea Party that has been holding rallies nationwide in protest of reform bills that were put on the fast track last week. 

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)