Chung Jeom-sik: "Abolish Semi-Mixed Proportional Representation to Prevent Second Yong Hye-in"

▲ People Power Party Floor Leader Chung Jeom-sik speaks during a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly on the 10th.

People Power Party Floor Leader Chung Jeom-sik called on the Democratic Party of Korea today (the 10th) to launch discussions on electoral reform to completely abolish the semi-mixed proportional representation system, stating regarding Gender Equality and Family Minister nominee Yong Hye-in—who faces controversies over holding concurrent proportional representation lawmaker positions—that "the fundamental cause of all this is the flawed semi-mixed proportional representation system."

During the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly, Floor Leader Chung urged this, saying, "The party that gave nominee Yong proportional representation nominations twice is the Democratic Party, and it was also the Democratic Party that made the Basic Income Party a parliamentary party. The Democratic Party must feel infinite responsibility for this."

He stated, "Subpar leftist parties gather like 'fly-by-night parties' centered around their 'host party,' the Democratic Party, whenever election season arrives. They enter the National Assembly by receiving proportional representation slots through the choice of the Democratic Party rather than the choice of the public, and act as vanguard shock troops for the Democratic Party," adding, "Such low-quality systems must now be abolished."

Regarding the semi-mixed proportional representation system, he said, "It is an evil law born from a backroom deal alongside the establishment of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, shattering the long-standing convention that electoral systems are changed by bipartisan agreement," and added, "If we leave such a law as it is, our public will have to witness 'second and third Yong Hye-ins' every election."

Sarcastically criticizing nominee Yong, he said, "I thought it was a smoke grenade, but it turned out to be a flare. It is brightly illuminating the hypocrisy and bare face of the leftist party's corruption."

Along with this, Floor Leader Chung mentioned four nominees—Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won, National Defense Minister nominee Kang Shin-chul, Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister nominee Hong Ji-sun, and Gender Equality and Family Minister nominee Yong Hye-in—urging, "All of them are substandard, there is no need to even go to confirmation hearings, and I hope they step down before then."

Listing various allegations raised against these four nominees, he said, "President Lee has infuriated the public with flawed appointments while taking selfies with actors in France," adding, "It is truly lamentable."

(Photo: Yonhap News)

※