"Don`t Change the Timeline for Resignation of Local Government Heads”

The National Association of Mayors (Chairman Kim Wan-joo, Major of Jeonju) opposed to the movements by the Special Committee on Political Reform of the National Assembly to reform the election law to change the deadline for current heads of the local governments, who are running for the coming election, to resign 90-120 days before the Election Day after it was sentenced unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court. The Association held an emergency conference of joint executives on Sep 31 in Daejeon, and determined to strongly respond if the political sector decides to change the timeline on its own, by filing an appeal once again. The Association argued that, “theses movements of the political sector is contradictory to the constitutional ruling that `it is unconstitutional to more severely restrict electoral eligibility of local government chiefs than that of other public officers.`”

The Association agreed to deliver its message to each party`s representatives by visiting them and to propose an open discussion on the matter.

The Special Committee on Political Reform of the National Assembly decided on changing the deadline during its recent meeting saying, “It is not desirable to allow heads of local governments to resign until 60 before the election just like other public official as they have great chances of utilizing their positions to carry out an advanced election campaign or offering some administrative favors to win votes.”

kokim@donga.com