PDP leader vows to cut lawmakers’ salary in half
Rep. Chung Dong-young, the leader of Party for Democracy and Peace (PDP) proposed cutting lawmakers’ salaries to cover the cost of introducing an expanded proportional representation system to increase the number of lawmakers.
For the electoral reform, Chung said “The PDP will propose cutting lawmakers’ monthly salary to 4.6 million won which is equal to a 2019 median income for one family with four people,” Chung said during a press conference to mark the New Year, Wednesday.
Citing the National Assembly Political Reform Committee’s proposal of expanding the proportional representation system and the number of lawmakers to 360, Chung urged the introduction claiming, “It is a matter of giving ordinary people political chances and power.”
His remarks came amid stalled talks over electoral reform after leaders of five parties agreed in principle to change the system. The PDP and other minor parties as well as civic activists have been calling for the introduction of a system similar to the German-style mixed-member proportional representation system to prevent “dead votes” in elections.
The present system has been criticized as it is considered favorable to larger parties, which makes it difficult to establish a multi-party system, giving little chance to small parties to expand their presence in the Assembly.
Chung urged President Moon Jae-in to set up a “citizen’s assembly” if the parliament fails to come up with a reform bill by this month.
“If the Assembly fails to solve the problem, the President can use his power to set up a citizen’s parliament with 300 randomly picked people and let them come up with a reform bill.”