People Power Party Innovation Committee Holds Meeting and Adopts Agenda Item 2
In Yohan: "Please Make a Decision to Run by Coming Out of Difficult Areas"
Includes 10% Reduction in National Assembly Seats and Salary Cuts
On the 3rd, the People Power Party Innovation Committee proposed as its second innovation agenda that senior lawmakers including the party leadership and pro-Yoon faction lawmakers close to President Yoon Seok-yeol declare their withdrawal from the general election or run in difficult constituencies. They also included a 10% reduction in the number of National Assembly members, a complete exclusion from nominations for the bottom 20% of incumbent lawmakers based on evaluations, and salary cuts for lawmakers who are legally detained or absent from standing committees in the second innovation plan.
In Yohan, chairman of the People Power Party Innovation Committee, held a briefing after the Innovation Committee meeting at the People Power Party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, saying, "We strongly demand that the party leadership, senior members, and those close to the president make a decision to either not run in the general election or run in difficult areas in the metropolitan area."
In-yo Han, Chairman of the Innovation Committee of the People Power Party, is speaking at the 3rd plenary meeting held at the Yeouido party headquarters on the 3rd. 2023.11.3 Photo by Yonhap News
Chairman In emphasized that 'sacrifice' is necessary for the party to overcome the current crisis. He proposed, "In the past, the people sacrificed while politicians gained many benefits, but now everything should be returned to the people, and politicians must make a decision to sacrifice. This is a new path that is required."
The People Power Party Innovation Committee also demanded ▲a 10% reduction in the number of National Assembly members ▲complete abandonment of parliamentary immunity ▲salary reduction and forfeiture ▲and complete exclusion from nominations for the bottom 20% of incumbent lawmakers based on evaluations. Innovation Committee member Kim Kyung-jin said regarding the abandonment of parliamentary immunity, "Incumbent lawmakers must immediately write and submit a waiver pledge to the party, and additionally, the party constitution and regulations will be codified, and for public office candidates, submitting a waiver pledge with the nomination application form will be made mandatory."
Regarding salary cuts, he said, "Until now, even when lawmakers were detained, their salaries continued to be paid under the presumption of innocence principle, but from now on, if a lawmaker is detained, their salary will be completely forfeited, and if they are absent from standing committees, their salary will be cut according to the no work, no pay principle." In particular, Kim added, "The salary level of lawmakers ranks third among OECD countries, while South Korea's GDP per capita ranks around 31st in the world," adding, "Compared to per capita income, South Korean lawmakers receive excessive salaries, so lawmakers' salaries should be recalculated and cut to meet the public's expectations."
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