Jun Ji-hye, a reporter at the finance desk of The Korea Times, focuses primarily on economic policy and government agencies, mainly covering the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Budget and Planning, the National Tax Service and the Korea Customs Service. She previously covered financial authorities, including the Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service, and earlier worked on the political, city and business desks, reporting on a wide range of issues.
DP chief proposes 'lawmaker recall'
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Rep. Kim Han-gil, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party, speaks Monday during a press conference at the National Assembly to launch the party’s plan to empower voters to unseat corrupt lawmakers. / Korea Times photo by Ryu Hyo-jin
By Jun Ji-hye
By Jun Ji-hye
Democratic Party (DP) Chairman Rep. Kim Han-gil Monday proposed introducing recall elections so that voters can oust corrupt lawmakers and strip them of their seats.
“Voters should be able to directly judge lawmakers on corruption and failure to fulfill their constitutional duties,” Kim told a news conference.
The reform measures from the largest opposition party came ahead of the June 4 local elections in which the party will be challenged by independent lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo’s new party as well as the ruling Saenuri Party.
Rep. Ahn, who is promoting a new politics, has been garnering higher approval ratings than the leading opposition party in recent opinion polls.
Chairman Kim also suggested that lawmakers disclose how much they spend and earn at events, for instance, when publicizing books written by them, a typical fundraising method.
Kim’s proposal also included putting a cap on individual money donations given to lawmakers for congratulations and condolences that should not exceed 50,000 won ($46).
“These rules should be also applied to lawmakers’ aides and secretaries,” he said.
Kim suggested setting up an ethics supervisory committee, an independent body in the Assembly to receive reports from legislators and investigate them.
“Legislators’ overseas trips criticized for waste of taxpayers’ money should be limited too,” said Kim. “Those who plan to go on an overseas trip must gain prior approval from the ethics committee, and submit a report afterward. They should be prohibited from using VIP lounges in both domestic and international airports.”
The DP chairman called on the ruling party to join his legislative effort so that they can be approved in the Assembly’s extraordinary session in February.
However, when the ruling and opposition party members will vote on the bill proposing the lawmaker recall system remains uncertain because a revision to the Constitution that provides the lawmakers’ term of office should take precedence in order for such a system to be legally established.
Some lawmakers have expressed negative views on recall voting, saying it would only cause legislators to pursue populism in order to keep their seats in the Assembly.
Kim also urged parties to pass the tentatively-named Anti-Corruption and Conflicts of Interest Act, nicknamed the “Kim Young-ran law” within the month.
Kim Young-ran, former head of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC), proposed in 2012 that civil servants who receive 1 million won or more in bribes be imprisoned for up to three years ― whether or not the money is related to an official’s duties or position.
The proposal has been put on hold because of opposition from the justice ministry.