Dividing Sejong and Merging Gunpo... Late Approval of Electoral District Delimitation

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] With 39 days remaining until the general election, the constituencies for electing local members of the National Assembly have been finalized. Sejong will have its number of National Assembly members increased to two, while Gunpo in Gyeonggi Province will see its representation reduced to one member. The plan to combine six cities and counties in Gangwon Province to elect one member has been abolished.

The revised redistricting plan for the April 15 general election, resubmitted by the Constituency Delimitation Committee, passed the National Assembly plenary session early on the 7th after a change in the order of business. Of the 175 members present, 141 voted in favor, 21 opposed, and 13 abstained.

The redistricting plan was submitted to the National Assembly around 11 p.m. the previous day. After the change in order, it passed through the National Assembly's Administration and Security Committee and the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, and was then processed in the plenary session. This marks the second-latest approval in history, 357 days later than the deadline stipulated by current law.

This redistricting plan was approved one day after the deadline for compiling the overseas voter registry, which was the final cutoff. However, since the National Election Commission will conduct the overseas voter registry review and objection process until the 16th and finalize the list, there should be no disruption to overseas voting.

As a result of this decision, Sejong City, which has seen a significant population increase over the past four years, has been divided into two constituencies and will have two National Assembly members in the 21st general election. Conversely, Gunpo City in Gyeonggi Province, which has experienced a population decline, will be reduced from two constituencies (Gap and Eul) to one. The total number of constituencies remains at the current 253.

Additionally, constituencies in Gangwon, Jeonnam, Gyeongbuk, and Incheon have been adjusted. Part of Chuncheon City, which has a large population, was separated and combined with Cheorwon, Hwacheon, and Yanggu to form two constituencies. In Jeonnam, Suncheon was divided, with part of it combined with Gwangyang, Gokseong, and Gurye.

Thus, Gangwon constituencies have been adjusted from ▲Chuncheon ▲Donghae·Samcheok ▲Taebaek·Hoengseong·Yeongwol·Pyeongchang·Jeongseon ▲Sokcho·Goseong·Yangyang ▲Hongcheon·Cheorwon·Hwacheon·Yanggu·Inje to ▲Chuncheon·Cheorwon·Hwacheon·Yanggu Gap ▲Chuncheon·Cheorwon·Hwacheon·Yanggu Eul ▲Donghae·Taebaek·Samcheok·Jeongseon ▲Sokcho·Inje·Goseong·Yangyang ▲Hongcheon·Hoengseong·Yeongwol·Pyeongchang constituencies. Jeonnam constituencies have been adjusted from ▲Suncheon ▲Gwangyang·Gokseong·Gurye to ▲Suncheon·Gwangyang·Gokseong·Gurye Gap·Eul constituencies.

Gyeongbuk constituencies have been adjusted from ▲Andong ▲Yeongju·Mungyeong·Yecheon ▲Sangju·Gunwi·Uiseong·Cheongsong ▲Yeongyang·Yeongdeok·Bonghwa·Uljin to ▲Andong·Yecheon ▲Yeongju·Yeongyang·Bonghwa·Uljin ▲Sangju·Mungyeong, Gunwi·Uiseong·Cheongsong·Yeongdeok constituencies. Incheon constituencies have been adjusted from ▲Jung-gu·Dong-gu·Ganghwa·Ongjin ▲Nam-gu (Michuhol) Gap·Eul to ▲Jung-gu·Ganghwa·Ongjin ▲Dong-gu·Michuhol Gap·Eul constituencies.

Additionally, boundaries within districts and cities/counties have been adjusted for ▲Busan Nam-gu Gap·Eul ▲Incheon Seo-gu Gap·Eul ▲Gyeonggi Gwangmyeong Gap·Eul ▲Pyeongtaek Gap·Eul ▲Goyang Gap·Eul·Byeong ▲Yongin Eul·Byeong·Jeong ▲Hwaseong Gap·Eul·Byeong ▲Jeonbuk Iksan Gap·Eul ▲Jeonnam Yeosu Gap·Eul constituencies. The population reference date for redistricting was set as January 31 of last year.

In the case of Hwaseong City in Gyeonggi Province, for this election only, part of Bongdam-eup in Hwaseong Byeong was split and included in the Hwaseong Gap constituency. The constituency with the smallest population is Yeosu Gap with approximately 139,000 people, and the largest is Goyang Jeong with about 277,000 people.

Meanwhile, lawmakers whose constituencies were adjusted by this redistricting plan expressed opposition. Kim Jin-tae, a member of the Future United Party representing Chuncheon-eul in Gangwon, spoke against the plan in the plenary session, saying, "There was an expectation of division due to population growth over the years, but instead, it has become the biggest victim area," and added, "This is not just legalizing gerrymandering but legalizing 'geollemandering' (a derogatory term for extreme gerrymandering)."

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