Kim Byung-min: "'Reducing the number of lawmakers by 30' is the party's general stance... 'Reducing proportional representation' opinion is dominant"

Kim Ki-hyun, the leader of the People Power Party, proposed reducing the number of National Assembly members by 30 during a parliamentary negotiation group speech, and Kim Byung-min, a Supreme Council member of the People Power Party, said this is the "(People Power Party's) universal position."

On the 21st, Kim, a Supreme Council member, said on MBC's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' program, "When there was a plenary committee meeting in the past, Leader Kim mentioned at the Supreme Council meeting that he would propose reducing the number of assembly members, and the leadership, including the Supreme Council members present, generally actively agreed with Leader Kim's opinion."

Kim Byung-min, candidate for the Supreme Council member of the People Power Party. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

The reduction of the number of assembly members raises interest in whether to reduce constituency seats or proportional representation seats. Kim, the Supreme Council member, said, "If the approach is to decide which proportional representation seats to reduce or which constituency seats to cut, it will actually become very difficult to reduce the number of assembly members," adding, "if the ruling and opposition parties reach an agreement to reduce the number of assembly members by about 10%, then the next steps could be reducing proportional representation seats and adjusting some constituency seats sequentially." He emphasized that an agreement between the ruling and opposition parties on reducing the number of assembly members is important first.

Regarding the criticism that the People Power Party is leaning toward 'reducing proportional representation,' he said, "I think the opinion to reduce proportional representation is much stronger," and added, "When you look at whether proportional representatives have really engaged in parliamentary activities based on expertise and representation of socially disadvantaged groups, for example, I think the evaluation of many current proportional representatives would be very harsh."

He also said, "Isn't it a common issue raised by both ruling and opposition parties that proportional representatives from both sides, after about three years, are busy looking for constituencies to run in next time, which makes the public frown?"

In response to the host's remark that "the necessity of proportional representation and the fairness and transparency of proportional representation nominations are different categories," Kim said, "That may be one way to look at it, but despite a considerable amount of time passing, no political party has found an answer to the proper national concerns raised about this issue," adding, "If such issues continue to accumulate and the expertise of proportional representatives comes under scrutiny again, it is worth reconsidering the necessity of the system itself."

He said, "It's not about abolishing all proportional representation seats, but if the number of assembly members is reduced, there needs to be a discussion about which parts of the assembly members will be cut," adding, "I reiterate the issue of the number of assembly members, which can be seen as currently 47 proportional representatives, and the issue of public efficacy perceived in their activities."

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