Evaluation of Incumbent Lawmakers, Enhancing Predictability and Transparency
"We Will Promote Bills Neglected in the 21st National Assembly"
Seo Ji-young, a People Power Party lawmaker who started as the 7th public recruitment class of the Hannara Party and is entering the 22nd National Assembly, is interested in bills that were not processed in the 21st National Assembly. This is because many bills, such as the 'Koo Hara Act,' were proposed in the 21st National Assembly but left unattended due to political strife, and many others were not passed due to rulings of unconstitutionality or constitutional incompatibility. Rather than competing to propose the first bill, Seo is carefully considering taking responsibility for what the previous assembly could not complete.
 People Power Party's Seo Ji-young "Will Prioritize Reviewing the Goo Hara Act and Others"](https://cphoto.asiae.co.kr/listimglink/1/2024052818110687661_1716887466.jpg)
Seo Ji-young, a member-elect of the People Power Party, is giving an interview to Asia Economy at the National Assembly on the 28th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
Seo said, "I heard that 15 bills ruled as constitutionally incompatible and 20 bills judged unconstitutional will be carried over to the 22nd National Assembly," adding, "The National Assembly should propose amendments for these bills, but many were discarded in bulk. I'm not criticizing the previous assembly, but it did not fulfill its duties." She emphasized, "In the case of the Koo Hara Act (partial amendment to the Civil Act), the Constitutional Court made some rulings of unconstitutionality and constitutional incompatibility. We will expedite the promotion of the Koo Hara Act and other bills that our National Assembly failed to fulfill its duties and left unattended."
Seo developed her desire to become a lawmaker while working as a party staff member. Especially, having worked extensively in the party's floor leader's office and the floor administration bureau, she was able to closely observe lawmakers' legislative activities. Seo said, "There were often cases where lawmakers left during subcommittee meetings on bills or budget subcommittees when we were numerically disadvantaged, which made things difficult," adding, "Since both parties are watching, and our party's professional committee members and aides are all present, frequent absences cause significant difficulties." She expressed regret that lawmakers' absences at critical times often prevented them from lending support.
Active Lawmaker Evaluation System Should Increase Predictability and Transparency
Seo argues that to improve these issues, the predictability and transparency of the 'active lawmaker evaluation system' must be enhanced. Seo said, "Our party already has an active lawmaker evaluation. The evaluation mainly consists of legislative activity assessments and audit evaluations of all party branch chairpersons through party affairs audits," emphasizing, "I hope the lawmaker evaluation system becomes more detailed and public." She added, "I understand that the Democratic Party has several indicators that allow evaluations to be conducted publicly. In our party, former floor leader Yoon Jae-ok mentioned at the elected officials' general meeting that there are actual lawmaker evaluation materials. If so, I think they should be disclosed from the start of the National Assembly," meaning that the indicators and methods used to evaluate lawmakers should be disclosed to provide a predictable and transparent evaluation system for lawmakers.
Regarding why attempts to introduce this system have not succeeded so far, Seo explained, "There is the aspect of autonomy in legislative activities, and since lawmakers are constitutional institutions elected and evaluated by the people, creating party standards to evaluate lawmakers might have been perceived as undesirable." She added, "Since the party has been conducting evaluations, it would not be difficult to disclose what has been done. I don't think the 22nd People Power Party lawmakers will oppose it, and I expect they will accept it confidently." The People Power Party lawmakers agreed to introduce a systematized active lawmaker evaluation system at the 22nd National Assembly elected officials' workshop held over one night and two days starting on the 30th of last month.
 People Power Party's Seo Ji-young "Will Prioritize Reviewing the Goo Hara Act and Others"](https://cphoto.asiae.co.kr/listimglink/1/2024052818104987656_1716887450.jpg)
Seojiyeong, a People Power Party elected member, is giving an interview to Asia Economy at the National Assembly on the 28th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
Reason for Choosing Hannara Party: Morality and Trustworthiness
Seo, who started as a party public recruitment staff member and was elected as a lawmaker, takes pride in the party's traditional public recruitment system. Seo said, "The public may not know well, but our party's secretariat staff have been publicly recruited since the past," adding, "I understand that other parties have not consistently operated a public recruitment system like ours."
The reason Seo applied to the Hannara Party public recruitment in 2001, 23 years ago, was that she judged that the Hannara Party under former Chairman Lee Hoi-chang had a much higher moral standing compared to the Democratic Party. She said, "At the end of the Kim Dae-jung administration, due to the 'Hong Sam Trio' (the three sons of former President Kim Dae-jung), the party was morally on the defensive, and the Hannara Party had relatively higher approval ratings and gained trust from the public in terms of morality," adding, "Also, since the possibility of taking power was high, I applied to the party with trust." Among Seo's peers from the Hannara Party public recruitment class is former People Power Party candidate Kim Il-ho, who ran unsuccessfully in the 22nd general election in Seoul Gangseo-byeong district.
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