[2023 Click Political Figure] Itanhee's 'Time for Reform'

Whistleblowing on Judicial Blacklist under Park Geun-hye Government
At the Heart of Judicial Reform and Political Reform
First to Advocate for Large Electoral District System in Politics

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] It is expected that Lee Tan-hee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, will be recorded as the starting point of political reform in 2023. As the National Assembly's Special Committee on Political Reform has begun full-scale activities with the goal of completing the revision of the Public Official Election Act by April 10 this year, Lee is the most notable figure in the committee. This is because he was the first to actively raise the necessity of electoral system reform as a core issue, ignited by President Yoon Seok-yeol and National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo.

According to political circles on the 10th, Lee, although a first-term lawmaker, has consistently raised the need for political reform while working in the National Assembly's Special Committee on Political Reform, which consists of 18 members: 9 from the Democratic Party, 8 from the People Power Party, and 1 from a minor negotiation group, thereby standing out more than anyone else.

The First to Advocate for the Introduction of Large Electoral Districts in Politics

Lee Tan-hee, Member of the Democratic Party of Korea./Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

This year, the issue of changing the current single-member district system to a multi-member district system, where two or more representatives are elected from one electoral district, has become a hot topic and emerged as a core agenda of political reform. However, Lee advocated for the introduction of large electoral districts much earlier. He also proposed various topics such as the presidential runoff voting system and the national electoral district system.

Last year, ahead of the local elections, he advocated for the introduction of a 'multi-member district system with three or more members for basic councilors.' Although the introduction of the multi-member district system for basic councilors was effectively scrapped due to the breakdown of negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties, Lee viewed the reform of the electoral system as a touchstone for political reform. His argument is that the politics of dividing power between the two major parties must be eradicated.

However, there is skepticism about whether the multi-member district system can be introduced for National Assembly elections in a political sphere that is exclusive even for basic councilor elections. It is widely analyzed that it will be difficult to find a consensus because individual interests of the 300 lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties lead to conflicting positions.

Recently, discussions on revising the election law have likely shifted direction from the 'multi-member district system' to adjusting the 'mixed-member proportional representation system.' This is because both ruling and opposition parties have voiced a consensus that the mixed-member proportional representation system applied in the last general election ultimately only led to 'cunning satellite parties,' and thus it needs to be fixed first.

However, what is clear is that the 'time for reform' that Lee has been waiting for has begun. Lee plans to propose the 'Presidential Runoff Voting System Act' as his first bill this year. He also suggested reforming the National Assembly election system and introducing the 'national electoral district system,' proposing to delegate full authority for the allocation of the number of National Assembly members and the delineation of electoral districts to the public and experts.

Whistleblower of Judiciary Blacklist... From Judicial Reform to Political Reform Leader?

Lee is far from complacent. When he was appointed as a judge in March 2008 and assigned to the Planning and Coordination Office of the Court Administration in 2017, it seemed he only needed to look forward. However, he resigned from his position in protest against the Court Administration's 'judge surveillance.' This was the moment when allegations of the so-called 'judiciary blacklist,' which identified and managed judges by their tendencies, surfaced.

At that time, Lee was the first to raise the judiciary blacklist issue on the court's internal communication network, stating, "The actions that took place in the Court Administration are a betrayal of the values and norms of a sound judicial community." From then on, he emerged as an internal resistor against judicial corruption and an icon of 'judicial reform.' He also received the 'Person of the Year Award' from the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy.

Entering the 21st National Assembly as the Democratic Party's 10th recruited talent, Lee has not stopped his yearning for reform even in Yeouido. If he was at the center of 'judicial reform' during his time as a judge, after entering politics, he has stood at the heart of 'political reform.'

"I will raise my voice more. I will be a principled politician. I will maintain my original intention." This year, his determination is attracting more attention than ever.