First Full Committee Meeting Convened Immediately After Plenary
Two Weeks of Discussion Based on Multiple Proposals from the Political Reform Special Committee
The National Assembly has resolved to form a plenary committee in which all members of the National Assembly will participate to establish the electoral system to be applied in next year's general election for members of the National Assembly. After concluding the plenary session in the afternoon, the plenary committee will be convened to take the first step in the discussion.
On the afternoon of the 30th, the National Assembly passed the "Resolution on the Improvement of the National Assembly Member Electoral System" at the plenary session. Speaker Kim Jin-pyo said, "I believe this decision is a significant historical decision that will be recorded in constitutional history," adding, "The first step toward political reform is the restructuring of the electoral system." Kim Young-joo, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, was appointed as the chairperson of the plenary committee.
Chairman Kim said, "We must first change the distorted electoral system where wasted votes reach as high as 50%," and added, "Let us institutionalize cooperation so that politics of dialogue and compromise can take root beyond the winner-takes-all conflicts and divisive politics."
He continued, "Let us adopt deliberation, concentration, and promptness as operating principles, engage in focused and in-depth discussions, and reach a conclusion within April," urging the members, "Please approach the plenary committee with earnest and urgent hearts."
The plenary committee plans to hold discussions for two weeks focusing on three proposals contained in the resolution passed by the Special Committee on Political Reform: ▲ a major multi-member district system (urban-rural mixed type) + regional and parallel proportional representation system ▲ a single-member district system + regional semi-linked proportional representation system ▲ an open-list large multi-member district system + national and parallel proportional representation system. Chairman Kim aims to gather members' opinions through the plenary committee discussions and pass a single revised bill by consensus between the ruling and opposition parties within April.
Nam In-soon, chairperson of the Special Committee on Political Reform, said about the resolution, "It is the result of fierce and sincere discussions transcending political positions between ruling and opposition members in the Special Committee on Political Reform to enhance proportionality and representativeness and to establish an electoral system acceptable to the public," expressing hope that "the electoral system improvement and political reform will be achieved to alleviate regionalism-based party structures and promote political diversity."
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