Why Are Senior Lawmakers Favorable to the Jungdae Electoral District System?

Ruling and Opposition Senior Lawmakers Support President Yoon's Proposal
Large Constituency System Favors Well-Known Senior Lawmakers
"An Electoral System Difficult for New Politicians to Enter"

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] The multi-member constituency system is a key keyword permeating the Yeouido political scene this January. With President Yoon Seok-yeol expressing a favorable view, lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties are on high alert. The election law is not revised solely based on the president's intentions. Ultimately, it depends on the National Assembly's choice, but the president's support for the multi-member constituency system inevitably influences the ruling party's actions.

An interesting point is the subtle difference in reactions among ruling and opposition politicians regarding the multi-member constituency system. Senior lawmakers from both sides have shown favorable responses to the system. This contrasts with first-term lawmakers, who tend to weigh in cautiously or withhold judgment.

Democratic Party lawmaker Ahn Min-seok expressed support for the multi-member constituency system in an interview on SBS Radio's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show' on the 4th, saying, "We cannot leave things as they are with regionalism or the winner-takes-all structure where winning by just one vote means election."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

People Power Party lawmaker Ha Tae-kyung also stated in an interview on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the 3rd, "(The multi-member constituency system is) President Yoon Seok-yeol's personal conviction, and I actually discussed this a lot with him during the primary process, and we agreed on this point."

It is noteworthy that Ahn, who has often opposed President Yoon, and Ha, who has voiced his convictions within the ruling party, both delivered positive messages about promoting the multi-member constituency system. Ahn is a senior lawmaker who has been elected five consecutive times in Osan, Gyeonggi Province. He is one of the most prominent multi-term lawmakers in the 21st National Assembly, even considered for the Speaker position. Ha is also a multi-term lawmaker who has been elected three consecutive times in Haeundae, Busan.

It is not unusual for senior lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties to show favorable reactions to the multi-member constituency system. Discussions on electoral reform have always included the introduction of the multi-member constituency system during past general elections, and senior lawmakers generally expressed positive views. The multi-member constituency system merges the current constituencies, ranging from two to as many as four, into a single electoral district.

The appearance of the National Assembly building. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

The jurisdictional area of the constituency inevitably increases, as does the number of voters. What sets senior lawmakers far ahead of political newcomers is their name recognition, influence within the party, and regional organizational strength. Their advantage lies in the solid organizational base built over many years of cultivating political strongholds. They also have relatively more opportunities to be exposed in the media, so their recognition naturally surpasses that of political newcomers.

If the current constituencies are merged into one, combining two to four districts, senior lawmakers with the highest recognition and strong organizational power in the area can gain an advantageous position in the nomination competition. Political newcomers, even if they secure nominations, may find it difficult to properly cover the vast constituency before the general election ends. This means that even if nominated, they are more likely to lose to senior candidates from other parties.

Regarding this, Park Hong-geun, the Democratic Party floor leader, said on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' on the 4th:

"The multi-member constituency system also has the downside of entrenching the vested interests centered around senior lawmakers. Because (senior lawmakers) have been in politics for a long time and are well-known, it is a difficult electoral system for new politicians to enter."