Korea increases Assembly seats from 299 to 300

By Lee Tae-hoon

Lawmakers approved a bill Monday that would add a new seat to the 299-member unicameral National Assembly in a floor vote of 92-39 with 43 abstentions.

Observers say only 53 percent of legislators participated in the session due to growing criticism that they have made little effort to endorse legislation that would improve the livelihood of ordinary people, while fighting fiercely for their own interest.

The bill states that Paju in Gyeonggi Province and Wonju in Gangwon Province will be split into two constituencies, respectively, and that Sejong City in Chungcheong Province, where the country’s administrative capital is being built, will be recognized as a new electoral district.

It, however, mandates existing rural constituencies with a considerable drop in population, including Hadong in South Gyeongsang Province, to merge with neighboring constituencies.

The number of proportional representative seats will remain unchanged at 54.

The legislation will take effect before the April 11 National Assembly elections.