Gwangju Metropolitan Council Welcomes National Assembly Members’ Call to Increase Council Seats... Urges Decisive Action from Parliament

by Song Bohyeon

Published 17 Mar.2026 10:59(KST)

Eight Gwangju Lawmakers: "Imbalance in Representation Must Be Addressed Before Launch of Special Integrated City"

Gwangju: 1.39 Million Residents with 23 Council Members; Jeonnam: 1.78 Million with 61... Debate Over Equal Value of Votes

City Council: "Responsible Discussion by Special Committee on Political Reform Needed for Equality in Voting Value"

The Gwangju Metropolitan Council has welcomed the call by National Assembly members from the Gwangju region to adjust the number of Metropolitan Council members, urging decisive action from the National Assembly. The concern is that if the current seat structure is maintained after the launch of the Special Integrated City of Jeonnam and Gwangju, the value of votes of Gwangju citizens could be relatively diminished.

Gwangju City Council building.

On March 17, the Gwangju Metropolitan Council issued a statement expressing its "active welcome and deep gratitude" for the Gwangju region National Assembly members’ press conference at the National Assembly the previous day, which called for an increase in the number of Gwangju Metropolitan Council members.

Previously, on March 16, eight National Assembly members from the Gwangju region, including Yang Bunam, head of the Gwangju branch of the Democratic Party of Korea, held a joint press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office. They issued a joint statement urging prompt discussions on adjusting the number of Metropolitan Council members and redrawing electoral districts to prevent regional imbalances in representation during the process of launching the Special Integrated City.

They pointed out the large gap in the number of Metropolitan Council members compared to the population difference between Gwangju and Jeonnam. While the population gap between Gwangju and Jeonnam is about 380,000, the number of council members differs by a factor of 2.7. They explained that in Gwangju, each Metropolitan Council member represents about 69,000 people, whereas in Jeonnam, each represents about 32,000, highlighting the disparity.

Members of the Democratic Party of Korea representing Gwangju held a joint press conference at the National Assembly Press Center on the afternoon of the 16th, issuing a joint statement urging discussions on adjusting the number of metropolitan council members to secure representation for the citizens of Gwangju. Democratic Party Gwangju Branch, Yonhap News

The National Assembly members stated, "This structure could raise issues of representation according to the principle of equal value of votes," and added, "The Special Integrated City should not be launched while retaining a system where the value of Gwangju citizens’ votes is relatively diminished."

The Gwangju Metropolitan Council also pointed out in its statement that while Gwangju has a population of approximately 1.39 million with 23 Metropolitan Council members, Jeonnam has about 1.78 million people and 61 council members, showing a significant difference. The council emphasized, "The issue of the number of council members in the integrated assembly is directly linked to the constitutional value of ‘equality in the value of votes.’"

The council further called on the National Assembly’s Special Committee on Political Reform to "responsibly discuss the issue of increasing the number of Gwangju Metropolitan Council members" and added, "A prompt decision is necessary so that the integration, reflecting the aspirations of 3.2 million residents, can begin on a constitutional foundation."