Hong Ik-pyo "Full-scale Discussion on Election System Reform"... Vigilant on Satellite Party Prevention Law

Democrats to Discuss Satellite Party Prevention Law at Party Meeting on 29th
Hong Ik-pyo: "Will Strive for Meaningful Progress"
Party Policy Gains Momentum... 'Principle and Common Sense' Also Join In

The Democratic Party of Korea will hold a party caucus on the 29th to begin full-scale discussions on 'electoral system reform.'

Hong Ik-pyo, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, met with reporters after the party caucus held at the National Assembly on the afternoon of the 23rd and said, "There were various opinions from individual lawmakers regarding the electoral system," adding, "The Special Committee on Political Reform (Jeonggae Special Committee) is preparing materials, and the party leadership will discuss further, so we plan to focus on discussions related to the electoral system at the party caucus on the 29th."

Hong Ik-pyo, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the party meeting held at the National Assembly on the 23rd. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Regarding the 'party opinion to adopt the satellite party prevention law as the party's official stance,' Floor Leader Hong said, "There were people who mentioned that today as well, and there were very diverse opinions," adding, "The contents will be compiled and organized by the Jeonggae Special Committee, discussed by the leadership, and reported at the party caucus." He continued, "I don't know if a final conclusion can be reached on the 29th, but we will strive to make meaningful progress."

Additionally, Choi Hye-young, the party spokesperson, explained, "(The free discussion raised at today's caucus) mostly concerned the election law," adding, "Many people expressed opinions that the satellite party prevention law should also be enacted and that further electoral law reform is necessary." Regarding 'district-based constituency delineation,' she said, "Constituency delineation has also been discussed by the Jeonggae Special Committee, and the results will be reported to both major parties before the 12th of next month."

The '12th of next month' mentioned by Spokesperson Choi is the start date for the registration of preliminary candidates for the general election, and criticism has been mounting inside and outside the political circles over the sluggish progress of electoral system reform discussions. Earlier, the National Assembly's Jeonggae Special Committee held the second subcommittee meeting on the 21st to begin reviewing electoral system reform bills, but no significant progress was made as the ruling and opposition parties clashed over the handling of the satellite party prevention law from the beginning of the meeting, leading to an early adjournment.

The People Power Party proposes returning from the current semi-proportional representation system to a 'regional parallel system,' while the opposition party insists on maintaining the current system but separately enacting a law to prevent satellite parties, which have been identified as a side effect.

Currently, within the Democratic Party, the opinion that the 'satellite party prevention law' should be promoted as the party's official stance is gaining strength. On the 15th, 30 lawmakers including Lee Tan-hee held a press conference urging the party to adopt it as the official stance, and the number of lawmakers supporting this opinion increased to 54 in a statement released the day before. This is about one-third of the Democratic Party's floor seats (168 seats). The party's non-mainstream faction group 'Principles and Common Sense' also held a press conference on the same day, urging the leadership to make a decision on the satellite party prevention law, saying, "If we do nothing while making excuses about the People Power Party, the Democratic Party will fall into a vested interest party."