Proportional Seats Vacated by Wi Seongrak and Kang Yujeong Succeeded by Son Sol and Choi Hyukjin

Son to Return to Progressive Party
Choi Intends to Remain with Democratic Party

On June 9, the National Election Commission announced that the proportional representation seats in the National Assembly previously held by Wi Seongrak, Director of the National Security Office, and Kang Yujeong, spokesperson for the presidential office, have been succeeded by lawmakers Son Sol and Choi Hyukjin, respectively.

Yonhap News

According to Article 200 of the Public Official Election Act, when a vacancy arises in a proportional representation seat, the Election Commission must, within 10 days of receiving notification of the vacancy, determine the successor based on the order of candidates on the party list of the political party to which the departing lawmaker belonged at the time of election.

After Wi Seongrak and Kang Yujeong, who were elected as proportional representatives of the Democratic United Alliance, resigned from their parliamentary seats, the 15th and 16th ranked candidates on the party list succeeded to the positions. The 15th seat, allocated to the Progressive Party, was taken by lawmaker Son Sol, and the 16th seat, allocated to the New Progressive Alliance, was filled by lawmaker Choi Hyukjin. In last year's 22nd general election, the Democratic Party, the Progressive Party, the Basic Income Party, and other opposition parties formed the Democratic United Alliance as a satellite party under the quasi-linked proportional representation system, resulting in 14 candidates being elected.

Son Sol previously served as chief spokesperson for the Progressive Party, while Choi Hyukjin was a secretary for social economy at the Blue House. In a statement released on this day, Son Sol said, "In accordance with the agreement at the time of the general election, I plan to return to the Progressive Party," adding, "I am currently discussing the subsequent procedures with the Democratic Party." On June 4, Choi Hyukjin stated on Facebook, "For the success of the Lee Jaemyung administration, I will do my best as a member of the Democratic Party." The Basic Income Party is urging the Democratic Party to expel Choi Hyukjin, but the Democratic Party has not yet reached a conclusion on this matter.