National Assembly Political Reform Special Committee Fully Activated... "Starting with Improvement of Semi-Linked Proportional Representation System"

Meeting at least once a week for discussions
Jo Hae-jin: "Will deliver results by early April"

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The National Assembly's Special Committee on Political Reform held a subcommittee meeting on political relations law on the 11th to officially begin discussions on the revision of the electoral system to be applied in the general election next April.

Currently, there are 13 proposed amendments to the Public Official Election Act under review by the second subcommittee, and the ruling and opposition parties agreed to start discussions by improving the 'semi-proportional representation system.' Members of the Democratic Party of Korea have proposed multiple bills supplementing parts of the current semi-proportional representation system with a 'regional proportional representation system,' while members of the People Power Party have submitted bills to abolish the semi-proportional representation system altogether.

Chairman Jo Hae-jin of the National Assembly Education Committee. / Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Cho Hae-jin, a member of the People Power Party and co-chair of the second subcommittee of the Special Committee on Political Reform, said, "We will discuss how to revise the proportional representation system and, in connection with that, whether it is desirable to maintain the current single-member district system or to introduce a multi-member district system."

The timeline was also tentatively agreed upon. Given the urgency of the matter, both parties agreed to meet more than once a week for discussions. Cho said, "We plan to present the special committee's proposal in February, conduct public discussions in March, and reach a final conclusion by early April. It is not an easy task, but we will strive to produce results by the legal deadline (April 10)."