[Feature] Gwangju Introduces Large Multi-Member District System for the First Time... "Expansion of Diversity" vs. "Reinforcement of Major Party Monopoly"

Shift to 3–4 Member Constituencies in Four Metropolitan Districts, Proportional Representation Expanded to 14%

City Council Seats Increase from 23 to 28... New Dynamics in United Metropolitan City Representation

How many citizens can readily recall who their local council member is? After 30 years of local autonomy, the long-standing challenge of "insufficient representation" is undergoing a significant transformation in Gwangju for the first time.

On April 18, the National Assembly passed an amendment to the Public Official Election Act, introducing a large multi-member district system for four metropolitan council constituencies in Gwangju. In these constituencies, three to four members will be elected per district, and the ratio of proportional representation has been expanded to 14%. However, as expectations for "greater political diversity" are raised alongside concerns over the "reinforcement of a duopoly by major parties," Gwangju, ahead of the era of the United Metropolitan City Council, has become a testbed for local political reform.

On the 18th, during the 6th plenary session of the April extraordinary National Assembly held in the main chamber of the National Assembly, an amendment to the Public Official Election Act was passed, which introduces a multiple-member district system to some metropolitan council electoral districts and expands the proportion of proportional representation for metropolitan council members. Yonhap News

According to a summary by The Asia Business Daily on April 22, the National Assembly passed the amendment to the Public Official Election Act for local elections at the plenary session on the 18th. The amendment includes a pilot introduction of the large multi-member district system for four metropolitan council constituencies—Dong-gu-Nam-gu Gap, Buk-gu Gap, Buk-gu Eul, and Gwangsan-gu Eul—along with an increase in the proportion of metropolitan council members elected by proportional representation from the previous 10% to 14%. This is the first adjustment in the proportional representation ratio for metropolitan councils since the implementation of local autonomy, nearly 30 years ago.

As a result of this reform, the total number of members of the Gwangju City Council will increase from 23 to 28, and the South Jeolla Provincial Council will expand from 61 to 63 members. Accordingly, the total number of members in the United Gwangju-Jeonnam Metropolitan City Council will rise from 84 to 91.

Four Gwangju Districts Shift to "3–4 Member Constituencies"... Adjustment of Both Metropolitan and Basic Councils

The most significant change in this electoral reform is the shift in the election method for metropolitan councils. With the introduction of the large multi-member district system in four Gwangju constituencies, multiple metropolitan council members will now be elected from each district, whereas under the previous single-member district system, only one member was elected per constituency. This is the first time the large multi-member district system has been adopted for metropolitan council elections.

The basic-level councils have also been adjusted. Following the amendment to the Public Official Election Act, the number of basic council members in Gwangju’s autonomous districts increased from 68 to 73. The Autonomous District Council Constituency Delimitation Committee redistributed the number of council members for certain constituencies and adjusted constituency names, reflecting population and administrative district criteria. The Seo-gu D constituency expanded from two to three members, Nam-gu Na and Gwangsan-gu Na and Ra constituencies from three to four members, and Gwangsan-gu Ma constituency decreased from three to two members due to adjustments in the Bia-dong area. The number of council seats was adjusted based on a formula of 60% population and 40% administrative district count.

"Expansion of Political Diversity" vs. "Maintenance of Major Party Structure"... Mixed Reviews

Political circles are sharply divided in their assessments of the electoral reform.

The Democratic Party of Korea has evaluated the reform as an institutional advancement to expand political diversity. Min Hyungbae, a candidate for United Gwangju-Jeonnam Metropolitan City Mayor, described the change as "a starting point for creating a structure in which power cannot be complacent in front of citizens." However, he also expressed concerns about the hasty legislative process and abstained from voting in the plenary session—the only abstention among lawmakers from the Gwangju-Jeonnam region.

In contrast, the National Innovation Party Gwangju Branch criticized the system’s design for reinforcing a structure centered on major parties, arguing that calls to further expand the large multi-member district system were ignored. They particularly warned that if multiple candidates are nominated in the three to four-member constituencies, the reform could result in a monopoly on seats rather than an expansion of political diversity.

The National Innovation Party Gwangju Branch held a press conference on the 21st at the Gwangju City Council briefing room, raising concerns about the strengthening of the structure centered on major parties regarding the reform of the large constituency system. Provided by the National Innovation Party Gwangju Branch

The Progressive Party also criticized the constituency delimitation process as "selective exclusion," claiming that it is structured to block minor parties from entering the council.

The "Gwangju-Jeonnam Civil Society Response Team for Decentralization, Administrative Integration, and Political Reform for Citizen Sovereignty," a coalition of more than 50 civic organizations in Gwangju and South Jeolla, also stated that the electoral reform does not align with the original intent of political reform.

The response team pointed out that the demand for expanding mixed-member proportional representation was not addressed, with the proportion of metropolitan council members elected by proportional representation set at 14%, and that the expansion of the large multi-member district system was still designed to maintain a structure centered on major parties. They also argued that issues such as population disparity between local council constituencies and the imbalance in seat distribution between city and provincial councils during the launch of the United Metropolitan City have not been resolved. The team announced that it would consider filing a constitutional complaint and seeking an injunction to halt the local elections.

Power Distribution in the United Metropolitan City Council... Representation Disparities Emerge as a Key Issue

This electoral reform is drawing additional attention because it is directly linked to the power structure of the United Metropolitan City Council. During the amendment process for the Public Official Election Act, an additional opinion was included, stressing the need for balanced allocation of the chairperson and standing committee chairs, considering the difference in seat numbers between the existing South Jeolla Provincial Council and Gwangju City Council after the launch of the United Metropolitan City Council. This highlights the possibility that the issue of power distribution will become a major topic in the future after the launch of the unified council.

On the last day of early voting for the 21st presidential election on the 30th, a voter is casting a ballot at the early voting site in Sinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, located near Yonsei University and Ewha Womans University. 2025.5.30. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

In fact, the United Metropolitan City Council will be formed by merging two regional councils of different sizes. Although the number of seats has increased due to this reform, some point out that the issue of disparities in representation between regions remains unresolved.

As the first region in the country to introduce the large multi-member district system for metropolitan councils, Gwangju has become a test case for assessing the structure of representation in the United Metropolitan City Council. Whether this electoral reform will truly expand political diversity and narrow gaps in representation will only become clear after future election results and the formation of the United Metropolitan City Council.

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