Rep. Lee Sang-hoon has completed the formation of the first-term floor leadership of the Democratic Party of Korea caucus at the Seoul Metropolitan Council and made the official announcement.
The appointments were made with an emphasis on "competence" and "expertise," filling the leadership with figures expected to serve as the core of the newly launched 12th Seoul Metropolitan Council caucus of the Democratic Party of Korea.
The first-term leadership comprises Rep. Park Yu-jin (Eunpyeong District 3, second term) as senior deputy floor leader for policy; Rep. Lee So-ra (Seongbuk-gu District 4, second term) as senior deputy floor leader for operations; Rep. Lee Yeong-suk (Dobong-gu District 1, first term) as deputy floor leader for public welfare; Rep. Yu Ju-dong (proportional representation, first term) as deputy floor leader for labor; Rep. No Yeon-su (Nowon-gu District 4, first term) as deputy floor leader for planning; Rep. Ok Dong-jun (Yangcheon-gu District 4, first term) as deputy floor leader for education; and Reps. Choe Jeong-eun (proportional representation, first term), Kim Mi-ju (Guro-gu District 1, first term) and Go Chan-yang (Gangseo-gu District 1, first term) as co-spokespersons and deputy floor leaders for public affairs.
Park, the senior deputy floor leader for policy, is a second-term lawmaker who previously chaired the Administrative Affairs Committee of the 11th Seoul Metropolitan Council. She has earned recognition for her policy expertise through in-depth analysis and pointed scrutiny of major Seoul city issues. In her new role, she will lead policy responses to key city issues and drive the identification and coordination of policy priorities at the caucus level.
Lee So-ra, the senior deputy floor leader for operations, is also a second-term lawmaker who has built broad practical and legislative experience, having served as chair of the college student committee of the Democratic Party of Korea's Seoul chapter, as a policy secretary to the Seongbuk-gu district chief, and as vice chair of the Health and Welfare Committee of the 11th Seoul Metropolitan Council. She will oversee the overall operations of the Democratic Party of Korea caucus at the Seoul Metropolitan Council and take charge of the leadership's day-to-day affairs.
Lee Yeong-suk, the deputy floor leader for public welfare, is a former three-term member of the Dobong-gu Council who has demonstrated a specialized capacity to represent and communicate with socially vulnerable groups through field-oriented legislative work in resident autonomy, community building and the social economy. In her role, she will serve as chair of the public welfare action committee, identifying and responding to livelihood issues that directly affect residents.
Yu Ju-dong, the deputy floor leader for labor, is a labor policy specialist who has served as a labor affairs adviser to the party leader, as an executive committee member of the Democratic Party of Korea's national labor committee, and as vice chair of the Seoul chapter of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions. He will systematically review Seoul's labor policies and labor issues and work to protect workers' rights.
No Yeon-su, the deputy floor leader for planning, is a former Nowon-gu Council member who earned recognition for planning expertise across environmental and urban planning as well as general administration, having chaired the urban environment committee and served as vice chair of the party's special committee on climate crisis response. In the role, she plans to strengthen the leadership's planning function by organizing seminars, forums and policy events.
The education deputy floor leader position was newly created in this leadership to strengthen lawmakers' legislative capacity. Ok Dong-jun, the inaugural holder of the post, is a proven young politician who gained legislative experience on the operations, administrative finance, and welfare and construction committees of the Yangcheon-gu Council. He will design and run education and policy programs for Democratic Party of Korea members at the Seoul Metropolitan Council to build their policy capabilities.
In addition, a three-person co-spokesperson system was established to strengthen the caucus's communications function. The co-spokespersons are Rep. Choe Jeong-eun, a former deputy head of the message team in the party leader's secretariat; Rep. Kim Mi-ju, a former Guro-gu Council member who previously served as spokesperson for the Seoul chapter of the Democratic Party of Korea; and Rep. Go Chan-yang, a former Gangseo-gu Council member who served as deputy spokesperson of the party's staff council. The co-spokesperson team will oversee all official communications — including statements and press releases — and aims to strengthen outreach to citizens and the caucus's messaging function.
The leadership will build a cooperative framework with the National Assembly and the Seoul chapter of the Democratic Party of Korea to strengthen oversight and monitoring of Seoul city administration, and will lead policy and political consultations with related agencies including the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. The caucus plans to swiftly convey its positions through statements and press releases, while institutionalizing regular policy coordination meetings and policy general assemblies to raise members' policy capabilities and significantly strengthen its policy function through tailored response systems for individual livelihood issues.
"The fresh energy of veteran lawmakers with rich experience and seasoned judgment, combined with the passion and drive of first-term lawmakers, is expected to invigorate the Democratic Party of Korea's legislative activities and serve as a powerful force driving innovation in Seoul," Lee said. "Centered on this leadership, the Democratic Party of Korea caucus at the Seoul Metropolitan Council will use its solid legislative capabilities and the strength of a tightly united team to set Seoul's city administration on the right track and take the lead in building a Seoul where citizens are happier."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
