Ulsan Metropolitan Council elects Lee Young-hae as speaker

The 9th Ulsan Metropolitan Council opened Tuesday with a visit to the memorial tower at Ulsan Grand Park, followed by an inaugural ceremony in the main chamber.

The day before, the council held its first plenary session Monday, electing the speaker, deputy speakers and standing committee chairs for the first half of the 9th council term and setting cooperation, communication and citizen-centered governance as shared values.

Lee Young-hae, a three-term People Power Party lawmaker, was elected speaker. Hong Seong-woo, a two-term PPP lawmaker, was chosen as first deputy speaker, and Son Geun-ho, a three-term Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker, as second deputy speaker.

Gong Jin-hyeok was elected chair of the Council Operations Committee, Lee Jang-geol of the Administration and Autonomy Committee, Kwon Tae-ho of the Culture, Welfare and Environment Committee, Baek Hyeon-jo of the Industry and Construction Committee, and Kang Hye-sun of the Education Committee. All five standing committee chairs are members of the People Power Party.

"Even if we belong to different parties, I will build a council where we can say to one another 'it's thanks to you' rather than 'it's because of you,' grounded in mutual respect and consideration," Lee said. "Together with my fellow lawmakers, I will pool our wisdom to keep the executive branch in check, offer alternatives, and work toward the happiness of our citizens and the development of Ulsan."

The council will complete its organizational setup over the next two sessions — appointing standing committee members at the 265th second plenary session Wednesday, and naming members of the Ethics Special Committee and the Budget and Accounts Special Committee at the third plenary session Thursday. Full committee activities, including briefings on major 2026 work plans and deliberation of pending agenda items, are set to begin Friday and run through July 19.