By Jun Ji-hye
Lawmakers are under pressure this year to solve several “knotty” issues that they failed to deal with last year.
Such matters include a controversial constitutional revision, revising electoral districts in line with current demographics, and passing a North Korean human rights bill.
A group of lawmakers, including Rep. Lee Jae-oh of the ruling Saenuri Party, has been pushing for the constitutional revision that would establish a system of power-sharing between the president and the prime minister, as well as a two-term presidency so that incumbents could run for a second term.
But their calls have made slow progress as President Park Geun-hye expressed her opposition, saying constitutional change would open up “another economic black hole.”
Lawmakers advocating the revision launched a pan-national organization last month to boost public support, heralding a possible dispute with the head of state.
The rival parties are bracing for a fierce battle as they need to adjust electoral districts.
The Constitutional Court decided on Oct. 30 that the legitimate population gap between the most and least populous constituencies should be narrowed from the 3 to 1 to possibly 2 to 1. The National Assembly needs to revise the Public Official Election Law by the end of 2015, a deadline the court suggested.
Politicians are already engaged in virtual warfare as the court’s decision will reduce the number of lawmakers chosen from less-populated regions, while increasing the number in populous areas.
Bae Jong-chan, a senior analyst at opinion pollster Research and Research, said, “Lawmakers are obviously concerned about ending up with an advantage or disadvantage depending on how the constituency restructuring is done.”
The parties also have to renew efforts to pass the North Korean human rights-related bill following the United Nations’ adoption of a resolution against Pyongyang’s human rights abuses.
The issue has been a subject of political debate between rival parties for almost 10 years. The conservative ruling party has focused more on inspecting abuse cases, while the opposition wants humanitarian assistance and inter-Korean cooperation.
Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye