Justice Party, Constitutional Ruling on Semi-Linked Proportional Representation "A Highly Common-Sense Decision"

Constitutional Court Rules Mixed-Member Proportional Representation Constitutional
Press Briefing by Floor Leader Kang Eumi

On the 20th, the Justice Party welcomed the Constitutional Court's unanimous ruling by all justices that the provision of the Public Official Election Act stipulating the 'semi-proportional representation system' is constitutional, calling it a "highly sensible and reasonable decision."

Kang Eun-mi, the floor spokesperson for the Justice Party, said in a written briefing on the same day, "The Constitutional Court ruled that the semi-proportional representation system has improved the proportionality of elections compared to the existing parallel proportional representation system," adding, "It recognized the claims of the Central Election Commission, opposition parties, and civil society for expanding proportionality and representativeness in the electoral system."

The semi-proportional representation system is a system that allocates proportional representation seats to make up the difference if the number of seats a party wins in constituencies does not reach its nationwide party vote share, thereby guaranteeing the total number of seats. In December 2019, the Democratic Party of Korea and the Justice Party formed the '4+1 negotiation group' and passed the system despite opposition from the then-opposition Liberty Korea Party (now People Power Party).

Kang Eun-mi, Floor Spokesperson of the Justice Party / Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Spokesperson Kang urged, "The National Assembly should accelerate discussions on electoral reform by reflecting the intent of this Constitutional Court ruling," and stated, "The Justice Party has clearly expressed its position to keep any proposals open for discussion as long as they can expand proportionality and representativeness. At the very least, a conclusion should be reached before the regular session of the National Assembly."

He criticized, "It has already been four months since the legal deadline was passed," and said, "Although discussions have been led through the National Assembly's plenary committee debates and public opinion surveys, no progress has been made due to the obstinacy of the two major parties, the Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party." He then emphasized, "We urge the two major parties to put down their partisan calculators and present a responsible stance on political reform in the Republic of Korea."

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