Lee Yong: "Reducing 30 National Assembly Members Can Definitely Become Party Policy"

"Reducing 30 out of 47 Proportional Seats is Possible... Further Discussion Needed"

Kim Ki-hyun, the leader of the People Power Party, proposed a "reduction of 30 National Assembly members" during a parliamentary negotiation group speech, and Lee Yong, a member of the People Power Party, said, "It can sufficiently become the party's official stance."

On the 21st, Lee said on CBS's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' "If Leader Kim spoke to that extent, there is a part that can sufficiently be discussed as the party's official stance, and in the election system reform, our party members have continuously advocated for reducing and cutting proportional representation seats at the plenary meeting."

Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, is delivering a negotiation group representative speech at the National Assembly on the 20th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

When asked by the host whether it is possible to reduce constituency seats, he said, "The total number of proportional representation seats is 47. If we reduce by 10%, isn't that a reduction of 30 seats?" and added, "If 30 out of the total 47 proportional representation seats are cut, 17 seats still remain."

When the host asked, "Are you reducing 30 seats only from proportional representation?" Lee replied, "Rather than reducing only from proportional representation, election system reform is a leap forward for our future," and said, "I think there will be some discussions on election system reform starting again this week, and more discussion will be needed there."

Regarding Go Min-jung of the Democratic Party's statement, "Leader Kim Ki-hyun should declare he will not run in next year's general election," Lee responded, "It's a political tactic of finger-pointing," and said, "If you are going to say that first, our Leader Lee Jae-myung will declare he will not run next year. Therefore, Leader Kim Ki-hyun should also declare he will not run. Then I would believe the credibility of that statement. As a fellow lawmaker, I empathize with that."

On the criticism that Leader Kim's proposal is an attempt to nullify the ongoing election system reform discussions that have been going on for several months, Lee said, "The overall public opinion, the perspective of the people, is that the number of National Assembly members should be drastically reduced. Only 100 or 200 members are needed." This is interpreted to mean that the reduction of the number of lawmakers is based on public opinion.