Seoul South Korea’s National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik has emerged as an unlikely symbol of leadership during the country’s ongoing political turmoil, sparked by President Yeon Suk-yeol’s brief declaration of martial law on December 3.
Despite holding the second-highest position in South Korea after the presidency, the association’s president has historically had a low-profile role, working behind the scenes of political life.
Unlike the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, who leads Washington’s legislative agenda as the leader of the majority party, the speaker of South Korea’s parliament is required by law to renounce party affiliation at elections to maintain neutrality. The majority of speakers also retire after the end of their term.
But Wu’s decisive and measured actions throughout the recent crisis appear to have upended the traditional view of the speaker and his role.
“Seeing someone like him step up and act decisively at such a critical moment was refreshing,” Yoo Jong-hun, a lawyer and political columnist, told Al Jazeera.
“It allowed voters – both young and old – to realize that such capable politicians still exist,” Yeo said.
Young South Koreans even nicknamed Wu the “National Assembly Bull” – a reference to the hammer of his position and the Marvel superhero’s use of his powerful hammer.
A recent Gallup Korea poll showed that 56% of participants expressed confidence in Wu, an unusual number in a country where confidence in the National Assembly dropped to only 20.6%, according to a recent Gallup Korea poll. OECD Survey 2024.
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As a young student activist, Wu was imprisoned for three years after protesting against the military dictatorship that expanded martial law in 1980, following the assassination of President Park Chung-hee in 1979.
The campaign culminated in the deadly Gwangju Uprising in May 1980.
After President Yoon declared martial law on the night of December 3, 67-year-old Wu scaled the National Assembly fence after police barricaded the entrance to try to prevent lawmakers from entering and hold a vote to overturn the president’s order.
“I knew we had the constitutional authority to lift martial law,” Wu later recalled in a press conference.
“I did not hesitate. I had to enter the council no matter what.”
Even as South Korean special forces soldiers advanced toward the assembly building, Wu insisted on following the correct legislative procedures despite mounting pressure from wary politicians who urged him to speed up the process by cutting some corners.
“In moments like this, following the correct procedure without mistakes is even more important,” Wu told his anxious colleagues in the surrounding assembly room.
At one point, troops came dangerously close to entering the main hall where lawmakers were voting, leading to a tense standoff with council staff.
The decisive vote began, with all 190 lawmakers present – out of 300 seats – voting to repeal martial law.
“There were a lot of reactions on social media wondering why [Woo] “He was very focused on following legislative procedures,” political writer Yu said.
“But now, even those who oppose impeachment [against President Yoon] “No fault can be found in the operation he supported,” Yu said.
Bong Young-shik, a research fellow at the Institute of North Korean Studies at Yonsei University, attributed the peaceful resolution of the chaotic situation, without civilian casualties, to Wu’s emphasis on serious adherence to constitutional procedures.
“In such a dangerous and unpredictable situation, both conservatives and progressives found Wu trustworthy,” Bong said.
“We have seen this approach work exactly as intended,” he said.
“South Korea is strong. Its people are resilient.”
Wu also adhered to strict constitutional procedures during the first failed impeachment vote for President Yoon, on December 7, for declaring martial law and plunging the country into crisis.
With Yun’s ruling party boycotting the vote to prevent the impeachment attempt, Wu kept the legislative session open for hours, an unusual move, and urged politicians to return and fulfill their constitutional duty to cast the vote.
Two ruling party representatives returned to the room to cast their votes.
Wu only ended the session at around 9:20 p.m., explaining that he could no longer allow the protesters, who had gathered outside the council in freezing weather to demand Yoon’s removal, to wait indefinitely for an outcome.
After the second successful impeachment vote a week later, Wu called for a return to normalcy in all aspects of life in South Korea and for moving forward together.
“I hope your end of the year will be a little happier,” Wu said at the time, encouraging South Koreans to resume Christmas celebrations and gatherings, considering the toll the unrest has had on struggling small businesses at a key time of the year.
“His words immediately conveyed the meaning,” said Yu, the political columnist.
Wu acknowledged his rising public profile and newfound popularity, but with rare humility.
“I heard young people calling me the ‘National Assembly Bull.’ I find it amusing,” he said during a recent press conference.
He attributed the new public interest in the Speaker’s role in politics not to himself personally, but to the collective efforts of the Assembly’s lawmakers, staff, as well as participating citizens.
When asked about his future ambitions, including running for president, Wu dismissed the idea.
Instead, he emphasized the need for constitutional reform to address the recurring instability that has plagued South Korea’s presidencies since its transition to democracy in 1987.
“Our current constitution, which was drafted in 1987, has become outdated,” he said, adding that it needs “reforms that reflect the societal changes that have occurred in the past four decades.”
Wu also had a message for people around the world who watched in shock as South Korean troops deployed during President Yoon’s brief declaration of martial law.
“South Korea is strong. Its people are resilient,” he said.
“Although the world was stunned by the declaration of martial law, South Korea remains safe, stable and confident in its future,” he added.
