Three-term lawmaker Hong Ihk-pyo has been elected the new floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party(DP).

He was elected to the top post on Tuesday during a general meeting of party lawmakers at the National Assembly, beating three-term legislator Nam In-soon in the final round of voting after garnering the most support.

Considered to be reform-minded, Hong is categorized as a supporter of DP chief Lee Jae-myung. 

In running for the top post, Hong had vowed to overcome the party’s current hardship with resolute and unified force with the party chief at the center. 

Hong's election fills a vacuum after the DP floor leadership headed by Rep. Park Kwang-on stepped down last Friday in the wake of parliamentary vote to give consent to the pretrial detention of the DP chief.