[Reporter’s Notebook] Election System Reform, Still Lacking Intensity This Time

Minju and People Power Party Haven't Decided Direction of Political Reform Special Committee
Negotiations on Political Reform Committee Also Facing Setbacks
March Full Committee Meeting Uncertain

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] "One can point to a lack of intensity for reform as well as insufficient research on the subjects of reform."

Professor Jang Young-su of Korea University Law School noted this in his paper titled "The Causes of Failure of the 20th National Assembly's Constitutional Amendment Special Committee and Political Reform Special Committee." The lack of intensity to successfully carry out constitutional amendments resulted in failure, and insufficient understanding of the German-style mixed-member proportional representation system led to the failure of electoral system reform.

Although the political circles are determined to complete the revision of the election law by the end of next month, doubts are growing as to whether the schedule can be kept. The biggest obstacle is the two major parties. The two major parties, the Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party, which should be the main pillars in the discussion on electoral district reform, have yet to reveal their true intentions.

According to the minutes of the National Assembly's Political Reform Special Committee on the 21st, the subcommittee meeting held on the 16th to discuss electoral district reform was supposed to be a discussion on a promising electoral district reform plan, but from the beginning of the meeting, the issue was about the delegation of authority to the Political Reform Special Committee. When the Political Reform Special Committee was formed in July last year, the ruling and opposition parties agreed that the committee would discuss the "improvement of the mixed-member proportional representation system." Therefore, questions were raised about whether the committee has the authority to change the overall electoral district reform, with the background being that no clear stance on electoral district reform has yet been presented by the leadership of either party.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The problem is that compared to the Political Reform Special Committee, where discussions are already underway, the two major parties' discussions on the electoral system are still at a rudimentary stage or have not even properly started. Considering the political situation, such as the arrest motion against Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party leader, it is uncertain whether an electoral system reform plan can be produced by early March. The People Power Party is also in a situation where it is difficult to expect a party consensus as the party convention to elect new leadership is ongoing.

Once again, there is no sign of intensity for political reform or understanding of the electoral system under discussion. We hope people remember the fact that the Public Official Election Act, hastily passed in the 20th National Assembly, gave birth to the monster of satellite parties.