National Assembly Speaker Calls for Politics Focused First, Second and Third on People’s Livelihoods

National Assembly Speaker Cho Jung-sik opened South Korea’s regular parliamentary session with a repeated appeal to put people’s livelihoods ahead of partisan disputes: “First, second and third, the priority is people’s livelihoods.”

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 430th regular session, Cho urged lawmakers to address urgent livelihood issues first. He proposed creating a tradition of processing livelihood bills referred to the plenary within the same session, saying parliament should show tangible results rather than become an “empty-handed” assembly.

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First, second and third, the priority is people’s livelihoods.

Cho said lawmakers would face a strict public judgment after the 100-day session. He called for persistent negotiations on disputed issues, swift action on agreements and mutual concessions where necessary to serve the public. He framed the broader parliamentary agenda around two themes, the future and integration.

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Let us resolve urgent livelihood issues first.

For the future, Cho highlighted artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, young people, the climate crisis and peace on the Korean Peninsula. He called for action on legislation covering semiconductors, AI and advanced biotechnology, as well as a framework for addressing youth issues and bringing policies scattered across government ministries into a comprehensive plan. He also said he hoped North Korea would respond positively to his proposal for inter-Korean parliamentary talks.

On integration, Cho listed a basic society, balanced regional development, social dialogue and national unity. He called for a move away from exhausting ideological confrontation toward problem-solving politics and said constitutional reform should reflect changing social values and expand fundamental rights. He also urged the parties to act as one on trade and external economic legislation, and reiterated his intention to promote Dec. 3, the second anniversary of the lifting of martial law, as People’s Sovereignty Day.

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Let us move away from politics of exhausting ideological confrontation and toward politics that solves problems and promotes integration.