Jeonbuk Provincial Assembly to Gain 4 Seats; Jangsu and Muju Quotas Unchanged

The number of seats for Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province's provincial assembly will increase by 4, bringing the total to 44 seats. The increase in district seats occurred with one additional seat each in Iksan and Gunsan. With the proportion of proportional representation seats raised from 10% to 14%, the number of proportional representatives also increased by 2.

Jangsu and Muju counties, which were on the verge of losing provincial assembly seats due to population decline, will maintain their existing quotas thanks to a special provision in the revised law.

Revisions to basic local council electoral districts have also been made, designating two areas in Gimje City as pilot zones for large electoral districts, where 3 or more members will now be elected, up from the previous 2. The total number of seats for local council members in the province will increase from 198 to 200.

Yoon Jun-byeong, chairman of the Democratic Party's Special Committee on Political Reform, evaluated the 4-seat increase as progress, though not entirely satisfactory. Minor parties, including the Jo Guk Innovation Party and the Progressive Party, criticized the quota adjustment, stating it merely reinforced the vested interests of the two major parties.

Im Hyeong-taek, spokesperson for the Jo Guk Innovation Party's central headquarters, pointed to the entrenchment of the duopoly structure, calling the agreement a 'ragged compromise that is only political reform in name.' Minor parties argued that the limited expansion of large electoral districts at the local council level (to 27 areas) and the proportional representation ratio for provincial assemblies remaining at around 14% demonstrate a collusion between the two major parties to maintain their privileges.

There are concerns that an increase in local assembly seats conflicts with the constitutional requirements for government financial burden and the equality of voting value. The demand for reform in local assemblies is expected to continue.