The Purpose Undermined: The Unbroken Wall of 'Giant Two Parties' in the Major Multi-member District System

Only 4 out of 30 Pilot Electoral Districts Are Minor Parties
Lack of Time to Run, Two-Party System Influence

Jeong Yi-dang leader Yeo Young-guk is speaking at the Justice Party Central Election Committee special press conference held at Seoul Plaza on the 26th. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] Although the multi-member district system was introduced in the recent June 1 local elections to promote the entry of minor party candidates and political newcomers, there are criticisms that the purpose of the system has essentially been nullified. This is because most of the elected candidates within the pilot basic councilor constituencies were from the 'two major parties.'

The National Assembly agreed in April, about two months before the local elections, to pilot the multi-member district system for basic councilor constituencies in 30 parliamentary constituencies nationwide. With the number of basic councilors elected per party in these constituencies expanded to between three and five, candidates who ranked up to fifth in votes could be elected.

However, among the 30 basic councilor constituencies where the multi-member district system was implemented in this local election, only four constituencies elected minor party candidates. The pilot constituencies included eight in Seoul, six in Gyeonggi, four in Incheon, two in Daegu, three in Gwangju, and seven in Chungnam, totaling 30. Out of 109 seats, except for four, all seats were taken by the Democratic Party of Korea (55 seats) and the People Power Party (50 seats).

On the 2nd, the day after the 8th nationwide local elections, public officials from the community center are removing election posters on the streets of Sajik-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

The background to this appears to be the lack of time to prepare candidates after deciding the pilot constituencies just 48 days before the election, and the fact that the election was held shortly after the presidential election, where a confrontation between the two major parties had already been established.

For example, in one of the pilot constituencies, Gaseongeogu in Seocho-gu, Seoul, two Democratic Party candidates, two People Power Party candidates, and one independent candidate ran, resulting in only the two major parties’ candidates being elected. Similarly, in Gaseongeogu in Gyeryong-si, Chungnam, two Democratic Party candidates and three People Power Party candidates ran, with no minor party candidates participating.

In response, the Justice Party, a third party, criticized that the political reform purpose had been undermined. On the 31st, a day before the vote, then Justice Party leader Yeo Young-guk said at the Gyeongnam Provincial Government Press Center, "Discussions on the introduction of the multi-member district system were sluggishly stalled, and the redistricting exceeded the legally set deadline, depriving parties and candidates of preparation time. Moreover, the pilot implementation areas for the multi-member district system were reduced to a token level." He pointed out, "All of this is a calculation to weaken the third political forces challenging the entrenched two major parties and to protect the vested interests of the two major parties."

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