[Editorial] Renting Out Constituents This Time?

27 lawmakers from the ruling and opposition parties have recently put up an election law revision bill at the National Assembly, asking the parliament to pass the bill designed for `renting out constituents.` The move, which came ahead of the general election set for next year, is a selfish and irresponsible act that threatens the administrative unit of the country for the sake of individual interests.

Most of lawmakers who sponsored the bill are in danger of losing their constituencies at the end of this year when the number of constituents is measured to redraw the constituency map. Yet, the attempt to borrow constituents from neighbors to keep their position seems so blatant.

In October 2001, the Constitutional Court ruled that the current election law, which allows up to 3.65 to 1 difference in the size of constituency, is against the law, citing `equality of vote value.` The court then ordered the revision of the law to reduce the gap to less than 3 to 1 by the end of 2003. With the gap narrowed down to 3 to 1, a constituency will have to have 35,000 to 110,000 constituents at least. The 27 lawmakers who sponsored the bill are hoping to borrow some of constituents from neighboring districts to compensate for the shortage. They argue that adjustments in constituency are not against the law since the Constitutional Court itself put an emphasis on `equality in distribution of population.`

If the bill is passed into the law, however, it will lead to a collapse of the unit of administration centering on gu, gun and city units, further resulting in disruptions in civic services. To prevent this from happening, the legislative and administration branches will have to revamp the administration unit system, which is almost impossible given the time and costs the task requires.

Lawmakers often refer to themselves as `representing local residents.` When they lend and borrow constituents, however, how will they draw the line between theirs and others`. The election law revision bill is a typical `Gerrymandering` that ignores both common senses and principles. The bill must be withdrawn, therefore.

`Renting out lawmakers` is enough. People do not want to see `renting out constituents.` The ruling and opposition parties need to focus their effort on setting the number of constituencies and lawmakers to revamp the system at the year`s end as scheduled. Time is running out.