"If There Is No Electoral System Reform, Politics Won't Change"... Conservative and Progressive Civil Societies Join Hands

Press Conference on Conservative and Progressive Electoral District Reform at the National Assembly on the 18th
Advocating Vote Equality, Dissolution of Regional Dominance, and Improvement of Party Nomination

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Conservative and progressive civic groups have jointly called for political reform, including the redrawing of electoral districts. Following the launch of a bipartisan group of lawmakers that transcends the logic of ruling and opposition camps for electoral reform, civil society has also lent strength to the call for political reform.

On the 18th, at the National Assembly Communication Office, the Pan-Civil Society Coalition (Beomsaryeon), composed of about 300 organizations representing the conservative camp, the Progressive Civic Society Solidarity Conference (Yeondaehoe), and the National Sovereign Assembly (Jugwonja Jeongguk Hoeui) came forward to urge electoral system reform.

They pointed out, "The current electoral system is the fundamental cause of the negative forms of Korean politics," and added, "It is difficult to expect politics to change positively without reforming the electoral system."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding the lively discussions on the revision of the election law in the National Assembly, they said, "To ensure that this discussion leads to substantive political reform rather than regression to the past, conservative and progressive civic groups aim to transcend political positions and unite their common aspirations and will for political reform to once again urge the political sphere."

Conservative and progressive civic groups presented principles for electoral reform, including "ensuring the equality of votes, that is, proportionality, and breaking the winner-takes-all vested power structure," "breaking the one-party dominance system in regions by specific parties," and "improving the problems of party nominations and expanding voters' participation rights."

They stated, "Electoral reform must not be stranded," and "We will unite our hearts beyond political differences to achieve electoral reform that fairly reflects the people's will."

The civic groups participating in the press conference expressed their intention to play a role in pressuring the National Assembly discussions regarding this political reform debate.