Handonghun "Reduce National Assembly Members to 250 if Winning General Election"... Won Heeryong Faces Off Against Lee Jaemyung (Comprehensive)

People Power Party Incheon City Party New Year's Meeting
"Reduction in Number of Lawmakers, People Know the Answer"
Won Hee-ryong Announces Candidacy for Incheon Gyeyang-eul
"I Will Move the Rocks with My Whole Body"

Han Dong-hoon, the Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, announced plans to reduce the number of National Assembly members from the current 300 to 250.

On the 16th, at the New Year's meeting of the People Power Party Incheon City Party held in Gyeyang-gu, Incheon, Chairman Han said, "Our party wants to achieve the political reform that the people desire through this general election." He explained, "We have long known the answer to whether the current 300 members of the National Assembly are appropriate or if the number should be reduced, based on what the public thinks."

Handonghun, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, is entering the venue to attend the 'Incheon City Party New Year's Meeting' held at Incheon Caris Hotel on the 16th. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Chairman Han emphasized, "The issue is whether there is a party with the will and determination to implement this or not," adding, "Our People Power Party will win this general election and be the first to propose and pass legislation to reduce the number of members from 300 to 250." He also pressured the Democratic Party by saying, "I want to ask the Democratic Party if they will oppose this again. If they do not oppose, the number of National Assembly members in the Republic of Korea will be reduced to 250 in April this year."

The current Public Official Election Act stipulates that the National Assembly seats consist of 253 district representatives and 47 proportional representatives, totaling 300 members. Chairman Han's pledge is the fourth 'political reform' promise following previous commitments such as △waiving immunity from arrest △returning salaries if sentenced to imprisonment or higher △not nominating candidates in by-elections due to culpable reasons.

Chairman Han also expressed confidence in winning the general election in Gyeyang, Incheon, the constituency of Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party leader. He said, "The current Democratic Party under Lee Jae-myung is not the same as the Democratic Party we knew in the past," adding, "The public thinks so, and even Democratic Party supporters secretly feel this is not right." He raised his voice, saying, "Therefore, winning in the constituency where Lee Jae-myung is running has symbolic significance. It means more than just one seat."

Won Hee-ryong Declares Candidacy in Incheon Gyeyang... Direct Confrontation with Lee Jae-myung

Handonghun, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, attended the 'Incheon City Party New Year's Meeting' held at Incheon Karis Hotel on the 16th, and after finishing his greeting, he embraced Won Heeryong, former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

On the same day, former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong, who joined Chairman Han, officially declared his candidacy in Incheon Gyeyang, the current constituency of Lee Jae-myung.

Minister Won said, "The Republic of Korea needs to move forward, but a boulder is blocking the way. I will remove that boulder with my whole body," throwing down the gauntlet for the general election. He likened Lee Jae-myung to the 'boulder' and declared his intention to win the election.

Former Minister Won described Gyeyang as "a place of high standards," saying, "It is full of youth, has infinite future development potential, and residents who operate a regional orchestra that is hard to find anywhere else in the country. There is even a volleyball team." He added, "We should not call a place where such people live a difficult district," emphasizing, "From this moment on, the term 'difficult district' should disappear from the People Power Party."

He raised his voice, saying, "Since I will challenge with my whole body, please call it a challenge district," and "The places we challenge can soon become battlegrounds." Incheon is a representative difficult district where it is hard for ruling party candidates to win. Former Minister Won suggested using the term 'battleground' instead of 'difficult district' to indicate a fair competition.