Park Ji-won is a writer for The Korea Times who has been covering a wide range of topics from Korea’s culture to its politics. An avid journalism enthusiast to the core, Ji-won brings a thoughtful and unique perspective to every topic she covers. On weekends, you'll often find her contemplating life’s purpose on a yoga mat — with a cup of quality tea in hand. A native Korean speaker by birth and fluent in English through her work, she went to college in Japan and is learning Chinese and French — hoping to add Polish, Russian and Thai to the mix.
Assembly's electoral reform committee urges DPK, LKP to begin talks
Rep. Sim Sang-jeung of the Justice Party, chairwoman of the National Assembly's special committee on politics reform, speaks during a press conference for the committee at the National Assembly, Wednesday. / Yonhap
By Park Ji-won
By Park Ji-won
Rep. Sim Sang-jeung of the minor progressive Justice Party, chairwoman of the National Assembly Special Committee on Political Reform, urged the larger parties, Wednesday, to begin talks to seek compromise for electoral reform.
“If they reach an agreement, the committee can then draw up a bill on electoral reform at an appropriate time. The bill will include the redrawing of constituencies and legislative reform,” Sim said at a press conference.
“Under the reform committee, (we) will form the publicity taskforce that will be in charge of publicizing and debates regardless of parties.”
The move is likely an effort to narrow the differences between parties and lawmakers as they have different interests over reform by region and party.
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and largest opposition Liberty Party of Korea (LKP) have been reluctant to change the present electoral system as it favors larger parties. Small parties such as Bareunmirae Party, Party for Democracy and Peace and Justice Party came up with the idea of changing the electoral system into winning seats according to the actual proportion of winning votes.