'3-Hour Travel Time' Dinosaur Electoral District... Ruling and Opposition Parties Consider Rejecting Redistricting Plan

Rising Dissatisfaction with Electoral District Delimitation Plan
Concerns Over Giant Electoral District Combining 6 Cities and Counties
Public Administration Committee Likely to Request Resubmission... Discussion at 3 PM

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] The National Assembly, having received the April general election district delineation plan, is deliberating whether to accept the original proposal. The standing committee responsible, the Administration and Security Committee, with its ruling and opposition party secretaries, has agreed to withdraw the original plan and request a resubmission of the delineation plan. Although both parties are evaluated to have upheld their top priority demands, opposition is erupting in various places.

On the morning of the 4th, Jeon Hye-sook, chairperson of the Administration and Security Committee and a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, along with the ruling and opposition party secretaries, held a meeting at the National Assembly to discuss the handling of the election district delineation plan. It is reported that at this meeting, Chairperson Jeon and the party secretaries verbally coordinated to request a reconsideration of the plan submitted by the Election District Delineation Committee. The Administration and Security Committee will make a final decision on whether to reconsider at the plenary session at 3 p.m.

A representative of the United Future Party stated, "The National Assembly can request reconsideration of the original plan from the Election District Delineation Committee once," adding, "However, the final decision on reconsideration will be confirmed only after approval by each party's caucus and agreement between the ruling and opposition floor leaders." Chairperson Jeon also left the door open by telling reporters right after the meeting, "(Regarding the request for resubmission) such discussions may arise within the standing committee."

The National Assembly's move toward withdrawing the plan is interpreted as a result of backlash centered on the consolidation and adjustment of election districts. In particular, the biggest victim of this election district delineation plan is said to be Gangwon Province, which is experiencing widespread confusion. If the plan passes as is, the emergence of a giant electoral district combining six cities and counties will be inevitable.

Chuncheon is split into two electoral districts due to population growth, and since the Delineation Committee decided to maintain the number of districts by city and province, the remaining districts were consolidated without considering regional conditions or distances. Sokcho City and Goseong County were merged with Cheorwon County, Hwacheon County, Yanggu County, and Inje County, resulting in a travel time of up to three hours within the electoral district. A political insider said, "Although Yeongdong and Yeongseo in Gangwon Province are practically separated by the Taebaek Mountains and have distinct living areas, this was not reflected in the plan," adding, "Delineating districts solely based on population led to this worst-case outcome."

Lee Yang-su, a member of the United Future Party representing Sokcho City, Goseong County, and Yangyang County, strongly opposed the plan, calling it "the worst malformed electoral district adjustment," and said, "Gangwon Province must not be made a political scapegoat again." National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang also expressed regret, saying, "The Public Official Election Act requires efforts to consider farming, fishing, and mountainous areas, but this seems to contradict the law," and added, "There is a sense of insufficiency."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Since some electoral districts that have already completed candidate nominations are being consolidated or readjusted, disruptions to the nomination process are expected. For these districts, the nomination results will be invalidated, and the process from application to screening will have to start anew. Candidates who have already received nomination certificates can only feel disheartened.

However, with just about a month left until the election, the tight schedule is a variable. There is not much time left to receive a new delineation plan from the Election District Delineation Committee and enter negotiations. The failure of the ruling and opposition parties to reach an agreement, and the fact that opposition will inevitably arise in the consolidated districts regardless of the outcome, are also expected to influence the handling of the plan. There is also a possibility that opinions may converge on accepting the original plan during party caucuses or floor leader discussions.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.