In the upcoming April 10 general election, 38 parties have registered 253 proportional representation candidates. With 46 seats at stake, the competition rate stands at 5.5 to 1.
According to the proportional representation candidate registration data released by the Central Election Commission on the 23rd, the satellite party of the People Power Party, Kukminui Mirae, submitted the most candidates with 35 proportional representation nominees. The number 1 candidate of Kukminui Mirae is lawyer Choi Boyoon, a woman with disabilities, and number 2 is Park Chungkwon, a defector from North Korea and a senior researcher at Hyundai Steel.
The opposition satellite party led by the Democratic Party, Deobureo Minju Yeonhap, registered 30 candidates. The number 1 candidate of Minju Yeonhap is Seo Mihwa, a visually impaired woman and former non-standing commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission, and number 2 is Wi Seongrak, former head of the Korean Peninsula Peace Negotiation Headquarters.
The Jokuk Innovation Party registered 25 proportional representation candidates. Number 1 is Park Eunjeong, former inspection officer at the Ministry of Justice, and number 2 is party leader Jo Guk.
The Liberty Unification Party registered 20 candidates, with number 1 being Assemblywoman Hwang Bo Seunghee and number 2 lawyer Seok Donghyun.
The Green Justice Party registered 14 candidates, placing Na Sunja, former chairperson of the Health and Medical Workers' Union, as number 1, and Heo Seunggyu as number 2.
Saeroun Mirae registered 11 candidates. Number 1 is Yang Soyoung, former national university student committee chairperson of the Democratic Party, and number 2 is Jo Jongmook, former commissioner of the Fire Agency.
The Reform New Party registered 10 candidates. Number 1 is Lee Jooyoung, former clinical associate professor at Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, and number 2 is lawyer Cheon Haram.
Voters will receive the longest proportional representation ballot paper ever at 51.7 cm in length in this general election.
Due to the ballot paper length increasing with 38 parties listed, ballot sorting machines cannot be used, so the proportional representation vote counting will be conducted 100% manually. The ballot sorting machines held by the election commission can process ballot papers up to 46.9 cm in length with a maximum of 34 parties listed.
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