Ruling Forces Parties to Start Debates on Election Laws

Following a ruling by the Constitutional Court Thursday that struck down Korea's law on proportional representation, political parties have begun discussions on revising election procedures.

Both the ruling Millennium Democratic Party and the opposition Grand National Party have set guidelines concerning election deposits, agreeing that the deposit amount should be cut, as should the refund in case of an election defeat. Both will present their plans before the upcoming special elections scheduled for October 25.

However, the two parties differed on how to revise the proportional representation system and also on the timing of the revisions. South Korea is to hold general elections next June, and a presidential election next December.

The Constitutional Court ruled that Korea's proportional representation, which mandates a one-person, one-vote system for local elections but allocates proportional seats in the National Assembly based on total votes received by political parties, is unconstitutional. The ruling found that the practice of political parties drawing up lists before elections to determine who will hold the proportional seats goes counter to the principle of direct elections. The court also found the existing 20-million-won ($15,400) election deposit for independent candidates unconstitutional.

Ruling party chairman Kim Joong-kwon said, "Now is the best time to revise the election law."

Party sources said the ruling party has largely decided on proportional representation, where a voter would cast one vote for the candidate and another vote for a party or region. Mr. Kim reported the party outline to President Kim Dae-jung on Friday.

The opposition was cautious.

"We will have to look at all sides and listen to the experts before deciding," said Kim Ki-bae, the party's secretary-general. The opposition will hold Monday a political reform committee meeting to compare proportional representation systems of other countries.

by Lee Yang-soo