Park Soo-young "By-elections must be held in October... Minimizing the vacancy of Seoul and Busan mayoral offices" Bill Proposed

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Wondara] Park Soo-young, a member of the United Future Party, has introduced a bill to allow local government head by-elections to be held in October as well.

On the 9th, Park announced that he had introduced a revision to the Public Official Election Act reflecting this content. The amendment includes provisions to hold local government head by-elections twice a year, on the first Wednesday of April and October. Under the current election law, by-elections for members of the National Assembly, local council members, and local government heads are all held once a year (on the first Wednesday of April).

Park explained the reason for proposing the bill, saying, "The administrative vacuum caused by the vacancies left by the late Mayor Park Won-soon of Seoul and former Mayor Oh Keo-don of Busan has prolonged (until the by-election in April next year), causing significant harm to residents and social costs," adding, "A prolonged vacancy in local government heads goes against constitutional values. The shorter the period of acting authority, the better."