By Jun Ji-hye
The ruling Saenuri Party said Thursday that it supports proposed parliamentary reform under which the electorate could vote to remove a legislator from the National Assembly, if they are found to have neglected their public duties or become involved in corruption.
The Saenuri Party’s move came after the main opposition Democratic United Party submitted a bill proposing that voters are empowered to “recall” legislators who fail to fulfill their constitutional duties.
The bill is principally targeted at lawmakers who become mired in corruption and other historically common irregularities. But the Saenuri Party also wants to make those responsible for causing political deadlock at the National Assembly subject to recall.
“We are seriously discussing the introduction of the lawmaker recall system to create a political environment in which the public can take the lead,” said Park Jae-chang, chairman of the ruling party’s political reform special committee, Wednesday.
“A system enabling the public to recall lawmakers would also target those responsible for causing deadlock in the National Assembly,” he said.
Speaking at a press conference in the parliament, Park said voters are unable to assert democratic power once elections are over, because legislators are guaranteed four years in office under law.
Park, who is also a professor of public administration at Sookmyung Women’s University, said that the system will encourage lawmakers to work harder to represent their constituents and prevent corruption and other abuses of power.
However, when the ruling and opposition party members will vote on the bill proposing the 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 express negative views on such a system because they say it would only cause legislators to pursue populism to keep their seats in the Assembly.
Indeed, all previous discussions aimed at promoting reforms of this type have foundered.
Moon Jae-in, former presidential candidate of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP), had considered including the proposal in his election pledges, but eventually dropped it from the final version.
President Park Geun-hye also touched on the issue in 2004 by adopting it as one of her measures for political reform while serving as chairwomen of the Grand National Party, the Saenuri Party’s predecessor.
When asked if he thinks the proposal is feasible, Park Jae-chang said, “It is time for Korean politics to make a new leap forward. The discussion should not be buried this time due to differing interests within each political faction. It will be a way to move beyond the existing politics.”
However, other opposition parties expressed skepticism claiming the system could be misused for the purpose of holding minor parties in check because defining recall on basis of causing political deadlock is an ambiguous area.