Finalization of June 3 Local Election Districts at the Last Minute... 'Partial Introduction of Medium-Sized Constituencies in Gwangju Metropolitan Council'

First Implementation of Medium-Sized Electoral Districts in Four Gwangju Metropolitan Council Districts
Proportional Representation for Metropolitan Councilors Expanded for the First Time in 30 Years

On April 18, the ruling and opposition parties passed an amendment to the Public Official Election Act that introduces the medium-sized constituency system in some regions for the metropolitan councilor elections in the June 3 local elections, and raises the proportion of proportional representation among metropolitan councilors. As a result, constituency boundaries and related adjustments were completed in time for the final deadline to amend the Public Official Election Act for the local elections.

The National Assembly held a plenary session that day and passed the amendment to the Public Official Election Act, which adjusts the election methods for metropolitan and basic councilors in the June 3 local elections, with 184 in favor, 4 against, and 25 abstentions out of 213 members present. The amendment to the Political Parties Act was passed with 198 in favor, 1 against, and 14 abstentions out of 213 present. The amendment to the Political Funds Act was passed with 212 in favor and 2 abstentions out of 214 present. As the meeting continued past midnight from the previous day, the session was carried over, and the bills were passed at 12:58 a.m. on the day of the vote.

On the 18th, at the 6th plenary session of the April extraordinary session of the National Assembly, the partial amendment bill to the Public Official Election Act was passed. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

This amendment, which sets the rules of the local election game, includes not only adjustments to the number of metropolitan and basic councilors, but also the introduction of the medium-sized constituency system in four constituencies of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council (Gwangju Metropolitan City) within the newly integrated Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, and an increase in the proportion of proportional representation in metropolitan councils (from 10% to 14%). It also includes special provisions for population-declining areas such as islands, mountainous regions, border areas, and agricultural and fishing villages, to address the issue of population disproportionality by ensuring local representation.

Accordingly, the number of metropolitan councilors, based on constituencies excluding Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and Sejong Special Self-Governing City, increased by 25 from the current 729 to 754, and the number of basic councilors increased by 25 from 2,978 to 3,003.

With the amendment passed in the plenary session, the medium-sized constituency system will be piloted for the first time in this election for metropolitan councils. In the four constituencies (Dongnam-gap, Buk-gap, Buk-eul, and Gwangsan-eul) of the Gwangju Metropolitan City region, which will be integrated into Gwangju Special Metropolitan City in July, metropolitan councilors will be elected using the medium-sized constituency system. In those constituencies, three to four metropolitan councilors will be elected in order of votes received. For basic councils, the number of constituencies piloting the medium-sized constituency system will be expanded from 11, which were first implemented in the 2022 local elections, to a total of 27 for the 9th nationwide local elections by adding 16 more. Political circles expect that the introduction of the medium-sized constituency system, which allows the election of three to five representatives per constituency, will reduce wasted votes compared to the single-member district system and increase the likelihood of smaller parties entering the council, thereby enhancing proportionality and diversity.

The number of proportional representation metropolitan councilors will be increased from the current 10% to 14% of the number of constituency city and provincial councilors. This is the first such expansion in about 30 years since 1995, and the number of proportional representation metropolitan councilors is expected to increase by up to 29.

The amendment to the Public Official Election Act also includes an additional opinion stating that, upon the launch of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City Council, efforts should be made to ensure a balanced distribution of the chairperson and standing committee chair positions, taking into account the difference in the number of seats between the former Jeollanam-do Council and the Gwangju Metropolitan Council. It also adds that city and provincial councils should actively reflect the intent of the constituency boundary plan. Im Mi-ae, a member of the Democratic Party who had opposed the artificial division of three- or four-member constituencies into two-member constituencies by city and provincial councils through supplementary provisions in order to prevent unopposed elections and collusion among major parties, stated in the Special Committee on Political Reform, “Although this was not included in the bill itself but reflected in the additional opinion, the city and provincial constituency boundary commissions should fully reflect the intent of the amendment when drafting the plans, and city and provincial councils should not arbitrarily alter the commission’s proposals.” She added, “The National Election Commission should also work to minimize unopposed elections and maximize diversity in basic councils.” Heocheol Hoon, Secretary General of the National Election Commission, responded, “Understood.”

This agreement was reached through a 2+2 meeting among Chun Jun-ho, Democratic Party floor operations deputy chief; Yoo Sang-beom, People Power Party floor operations deputy chief; and the respective ruling and opposition secretaries of the Special Committee on Political Reform, Yoon Kun-young of the Democratic Party and Seo Il-joon of the People Power Party. The National Election Commission had set this day as the practical deadline for the bill. Previously, the National Election Commission had announced a detailed schedule: promulgation of the amended law on the 22nd, submission of the basic council constituency plans to city and provincial councils on the 24th, and revision and implementation of related ordinances by city and provincial councils on the 1st of the following month. They had declared the plenary session on the 17th as the final deadline for the amendment of the Public Official Election Act.

Regarding the amendment, the Rebuilding Korea Party, Progressive Party, Basic Income Party, and Social Democratic Party criticized the major parties, stating that “the two major parties chose a closed-door deal to protect vested interests rather than political reform.” They called for the proportion of metropolitan proportional representation to be expanded to at least 20% to 30%.

Originally, the ruling and opposition parties had planned to pass about 30 livelihood-related bills at the plenary session, but as negotiations over political reform legislation dragged on, they decided to postpone the handling of these bills to the plenary session scheduled for the 23rd.

Meanwhile, the ruling and opposition parties also agreed to allow individuals who are not members of the National Assembly to legally operate local party branch offices.

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