Uri Party to Revise Election and Political Funding Laws

The ruling party has decided to go ahead with its plan to revise election laws and the political funding law, which will change the current small constituency system to a medium and large constituency system, and raise the political donations limit, which is currently limited to 150 million won a year.

Regarding the reform of the constituency system, Uri Party floor leader Chun Jung-bae said, “We have to consider a new constituency system which is beyond regionalism,” during a news briefing yesterday at the party building, and added, “We will go on with plans to change into a medium and large constituency system and to introduce a system of proportional representation by district, since we are now a strong ruling party.”

“Political funding law stipulates that donors funding more than 1.2 million won a year reveal real names, and political funding of more than one million won be received by check or online,” he said, adding, “As transparency is guaranteed, political funding limits need to be actualized.”

He then said, “It is rightful that a district party chapter wasting a lot of money was abolished, but it is necessary to make up for the abolishment on a realistic basis, including guaranteeing the activities of voluntary party member organizations to collect opinions of local constituencies and decide policies.”

President Roh Moo-hyun said earlier that “current election laws have to be revised, developing their strong points and reducing their weak points,” during a dinner with key officials of three ministries and the head of the National Election Commission and their wives, which was held at an official residence of Speaker Kim One-gi in Hannam-dong. Roh put emphasis on the establishment of regulations related to primary funds.

The Grand National Party’s Vice-Floor leader Nam Gyung-pil criticized this, saying, “This is a conservative and expedient idea that has the intention of revising election laws in accordance with their tastes.”

Yong-Gwan Jung yongari@donga.com