'The Devil is in the Details'... The Multi-Member District System May Actually Weaken Regional Representation

22nd General Election, Emerging Issue of the Large Constituency System
Winner-Takes-All Alternative? Two-Member Districts, Rather Deepening
Three or More Member Districts the Answer? Weakening Regional Representation

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] The multi-member district system, which has emerged as a key issue ahead of the 22nd National Assembly election, is a system with clear pros and cons. It can serve as a reform agenda to prevent the drawbacks of winner-takes-all, but it can also become a hidden safety net for the two-party monopoly. The key difference lies in the numbers 2 and 3.

The multi-member district system is a system where 2 to 4 winners are elected from a single district. Even if the multi-member district system is introduced, whether 2 winners or 3 or more winners are elected can lead to differing fortunes for major parties. Although the multi-member district system is currently perceived as part of reform, once actual institutional reform discussions begin, the tussle between parties is expected to intensify.

The multi-member district system is a system that President Yoon Seok-yeol and National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo have shown positive signals toward. There have been no significant objections from either ruling or opposition parties.

National Assembly Building / Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

The multi-member district system suddenly emerged as a key keyword in the political arena due to President Yoon’s interview with the Chosun Ilbo reported on the 3rd. President Yoon emphasized, "It is necessary to consider ways to strengthen representation through the multi-member district system."

President Yoon said, "The single-member district system leads to an all-or-nothing outcome, making elections too fierce, polarizing camps, and deepening conflicts."

Former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min, a candidate for the ruling party leadership, also immediately welcomed President Yoon’s proposal. Yoo, who had been at odds with President Yoon for days, delivered a message of support for the first time in a while.

On the 2nd, Yoo posted on social media (SNS), "Beyond the confrontation between regions and ideologies, conservatives can represent the people in Honam, progressives in Yeongnam, and ‘politics of consensus for the future beyond camps’ will become possible."

It is noteworthy that the multi-member district system has been a recurring topic of discussion every time there is a general election. The multi-member district system has been discussed as an alternative to the single-member district system, which elects only one winner per district.

On June 1, 2020, the day of the 8th nationwide local elections, voters are casting their precious votes at Yeonhui-dong 6th polling station set up at Seodaemun-gu Office in Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

If two or more winners are elected from one district, the runner-up who narrowly lost can be saved. Especially in Daegu-Gyeongbuk, considered a political desert for each party, the Democratic Party may produce winners, and in Honam, the People Power Party may do so. The possibility of third parties like the Justice Party winning district seats may also increase.

When introducing the multi-member district system, whether to elect 2 winners or 3 or more can be a turning point that determines election outcomes. The 7th simultaneous local elections in 2018 serve as a good example.

At that time, the multi-member district system was adopted for the basic councilor elections. In Seoul’s Yongsan district council elections, Yongsan Ga, Yongsan Na, Yongsan Da, and Yongsan Ra districts were two-member districts. Yongsan Ma was a three-member district.

In the Yongsan Ma district, Justice Party candidate Seol Hye-young was elected by securing 15.97% of the vote, placing third. Under a single-member district system or a two-member multi-member district system, Seol would have had to face defeat. Unlike the three-member district, the other two-member districts in Yongsan elected one winner each from the Democratic Party and the Liberty Korea Party (predecessor of the People Power Party).

National Assembly Building / Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

In Yongsan Ra district, Democratic Party candidate Jang Jeong-ho, who received 58.62% of the vote, and Liberty Korea Party candidate Choi Byung-san, who received 25.35%, were both elected thanks to the multi-member district system. Although the second-place vote share was less than half of the first-place, both became district councilors. Adopting two-member districts can thus act as a safety net for the two major parties (People Power Party & Democratic Party).

Then, is adopting three or more member districts a reasonable alternative? Increasing the number of winners inevitably expands the district’s jurisdictional area. In the 21st general election in 2020, Gangwon Province was allocated 8 National Assembly members. If a three-or-more member district system were adopted in Gangwon, Donghae City, Taebaek City, Samcheok City, Jeongseon County, Sokcho City, Inje County, Goseong County, Yangyang County, Hongcheon County, Hoengseong County, Yeongwol County, and Pyeongchang County could become a single district.

This would increase the likelihood that candidates from relatively more populous areas within the district would be elected, effectively blocking other areas from producing their own representatives. This is why the multi-member district system is criticized for weakening regional representation.

Additionally, the multi-member district system is criticized for favoring well-known, established politicians with strong local bases rather than fresh political newcomers. Contrary to the general view of the multi-member district system as reform, it may serve as a safety net for entrenched politicians.

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