[Opinion] The Solution to 'Wiseong Jeongdang' Ultimately Lies in Voters' Choice and Judgment

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Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party, announced that he would operate satellite parties based on the current semi-proportional representation electoral system without regulations on satellite parties. The proportional representation electoral system, which includes measures to prevent satellite parties, was a presidential campaign pledge of Lee Jae-myung and the official stance of the Democratic Party. After initially shifting back to the previous parallel voting system with the argument "what's the use of losing gracefully," the party officially declared on the 5th that it would proceed with a satellite party proportional representation system. They have reintroduced the current system, which they had targeted for reform, as an alternative. Amid strong criticism of the shift back to the parallel system, it appears they chose a practical coalition proportional satellite party strategy while recruiting allies through coalition parties.

Lee Jae-myung himself does not seem to be entirely confident. He apologized, saying that satellite parties are inevitable. "When someone attacks with a knife, you cannot fight back with bare hands," he said. The fact that satellite parties distort the purpose of the proportional representation system, as Lee once pointed out, remains unchanged. He claimed that coalition-type proportional parties partially compensate by encompassing and accommodating minority factions. However, the satellite party 'The Together Citizens' Party,' which was problematic in the 21st general election, was also such a coalition party. Forming alliances with friendly minority factions and giving them one or two seats is not a way to overcome the duopoly of the two major parties. Rather, it only incorporates them into the Democratic Party cartel's factional politics.

The ruling People Power Party outright opposes the proportional representation system and insists on maintaining the parallel voting system. In Korea, where proportional representatives account for less than one-sixth of the total number of National Assembly members, the proportional representation system linked to party votes can be like a tail wagging the dog. The People Power Party cites these institutional problems of the proportional system as reasons for opposition. More significantly, the party maintains the parallel system because there are no friendly minor parties around them, making the parallel system useful for the two-party strategy. They have already prepared to respond with a satellite party strategy like in the 21st election if the proportional system is adopted. Led by President Yoon Suk-yeol, the People Power Party has proposed a multi-member district system as a reform alternative to the single-member district system. However, it failed to gain support from the majority Democratic Party and disappeared from the political reform agenda.

The electoral system reform has been led by the majority Democratic Party. The Democratic Party's claim that the failure to legislate the 'ban on satellite parties in the semi-proportional system' was due to the People Power Party's non-cooperation is not very convincing. Since the Yoon Suk-yeol administration began, the Democratic Party has pushed unilateral legislation nine times, clashing with the president's veto power and disregarding the ruling party's opposition. Even amid this, there was no attempt to legislate electoral system reform. When the semi-proportional system was adopted in the 21st general election, the so-called 4+1 group centered on the Democratic Party pushed it unilaterally, excluding the People Power Party.

It is a well-known fact that many problems in Korean politics stem from the duopoly of the two major parties. Extreme factional politics are also created by these monopolistic forces. In a situation where the two parties monopolize political participation, politicians and political aspirants do not hesitate to line up or act submissively to survive in the number one or two parties. For democratic party politics that involve competition between parties and for democracy within parties, the duopoly system is a core issue that must be reformed.

The problem is the paradoxical reality of entrusting the solution to the duopoly system to the vested interests themselves. The opposition party, which once appeared to advocate political reform, is now ruthlessly abandoning reformist ideals for power pragmatism, saying "elections are not charity." If voters support reformist ideals, that will become practical. Ultimately, the driving force for political reform to overcome the duopoly system depends on the voters' choice and judgment.

Kim Man-heum, Distinguished Professor at Hansung University, Former Director of the National Assembly Legislative Research Office

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