Democratic Party Proposes 'Innovation 7 Laws' Including Limit on More Than Three Consecutive Terms... Lee Jae-myung Heads to Gwangju to Appease Public Sentiment

Democratic Party Legislates Political Reform Proposed by Song Young-gil Two Days After Announcement

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Baek Kyunghwan and Lee Gimin] The Democratic Party of Korea has proposed an amendment to the election law that limits candidates from running for more than three terms in the same parliamentary district. This wave of related bills came just two days after Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil announced his decision not to run in the next general election and plans to strengthen the National Assembly Ethics Committee. This move is interpreted as an attempt to boost support ratings before the Lunar New Year, as Democratic presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung's approval ratings remain stuck in the 30% range. On the same day, Lee canceled his schedule in Gyeonggi Province and visited Gwangju, a stronghold of the ruling party.

On the 27th, the Democratic Party’s Party Innovation Promotion Committee held a press conference at the central party office in Yeouido, Seoul, to announce the filing of seven bills as follow-up legislation to the innovation plan, including the "Election Law Amendment to Limit National Assembly Members to No More Than Three Terms in the Same District." The bills also include △ restrictions on parliamentary immunity and arrest immunity △ prevention of satellite party formation △ enactment of a law on national recall of members of the National Assembly △ easing deposit and refund requirements for young candidates △ establishment of recommendation subsidies for youth △ prohibition of receiving congratulatory and condolence money by district assembly members and local government heads. These measures aim to focus on political innovation through swift follow-up actions to the innovation plan.

One of the reform measures announced by Leader Song, the submission of a motion to expel independent lawmakers Yoon Mee-hyang and Lee Sang-jik, as well as People Power Party lawmaker Park Deok-heum, is also a strategy to break out of the stagnant approval ratings. The motion is scheduled to be submitted to the National Assembly Ethics Special Committee plenary meeting in the morning for immediate review. However, the People Power Party has criticized it as a "show for appearances" and announced it will boycott the plenary meeting, signaling potential future conflicts.

Alongside this, the Democratic Party appointed four-term lawmaker Woo Sang-ho as the general head of the election campaign committee. This move aims to strengthen the innovation plan in line with the voluntary retirement of the 586 generation lawmakers, with the presidential election just over 40 days away.

On the same day, candidate Lee visited Gwangju. While his approval ratings have not exceeded 60% for several months, the People Power Party’s presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl’s support in the region approached 20% during the same period. Lee visited the site of the Hwajeong I-Park collapse accident and apologized for the occurrence of what he described as a third-world type accident. This came after former leader Song was blocked by resistance from members of the victim support committee at the accident site the previous day, prompting Lee to personally soothe public sentiment. Coinciding with the first day of enforcement of the Serious Accident Punishment Act, Lee detailed plans to mandate the establishment of an Industrial Safety Committee integrating primary and subcontractors and to create a Labor Safety and Health Agency to support these efforts.

As a region-specific pledge, Lee presented a joint Gwangju-Jeonnam campaign promise that includes the relocation of the Gwangju military airport, a key focus of past governments’ major pledges. He also announced plans to develop transportation networks in the Jeonnam region, including the Gwangju-Naju metropolitan railway and the extension of the Gwangju-Hwasun urban railway.