A Void in Self-Governing Administration With the General Election

With the general election just 50 days away, the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs, each local government, the regional assembly of the metropolitan area, and others account for 13 local government leaders and 34 regional assembly representatives from the metropolitan area who are either running for this coming general election or who have given up their candidacy to support the election.

Through competitive strategies aimed at enlarging the government party for the general election, the number of local government leaders and regional assembly representatives who have changed their party register has reached up to 13 and 50 respectively.

A total of 248 local government leaders and 609 regional assembly representatives were elected in the June 2002 local government election. This means one out of ten local government leaders or regional assembly representatives have moved their party registers within just two years of their winning the election, turning their back on the citizens who have chosen them.

Hwang Dae-hyun, the district government special committee member of the National Mayors and Governors Committee said, “I get the thought that local government leaders and regional assembly representatives have left or moved their party not because of their political beliefs but because of private interests.”

Experts point out the negative influence of resignations of provincial government leaders and regional assembly representatives, saying they lead to a suspension of public pledges, weaken the ability to keep watch over the district assembly and eventually bring damage to the residents in the provincial area.

The aftermath of local administration will also be severe if local government leaders or regional assembly members change their party registry as it will bring modifications to the basis of politics and policy for personal affairs.

Thus, arguments calling for the abolition of political party recommendations are becoming more appealing.

It is also known that the government is now examining this matter in detail.

An officer from Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs indicated that “resignation or moving party registers of local government leaders and regional assembly representatives falsifies the result of the election.

“We are examining a repeal of the political party recommendation system so that local government will no longer be swayed by political influence,” he said.

Hyun-Doo Lee ruchi@donga.com