Population deviation should be narrowed down to reflect demographic changes

Population deviation should be narrowed down to reflect demographic changes. October. 16, 2013 07:09. .

In May this year, the population of the Chungcheong provinces surpassed that of the Jeolla provinces for the first in the nation’s history. As of late September this year, the population of Chungcheong is 12,904 more than that of Jeolla. It is estimated that the gap will extend to about 300,000 in 2016 when the 20th general election takes place. Still, the number of seats in the legislature allocated for Chungcheong region is only 25, five fewer than that of Jeolla. Given this, the claim for the need to increase seats for Chungcheong made by former and incumbent lawmakers from the region has a point.

The National Assembly adjusts constituencies ahead of every general election, taking into account demographic changes. Constituencies with a significantly increased population are split and those with a decreased population are combined together. Although a constituency demarcation committee composed of experts from the private sector provides opinions for the legislature, their comments are not legally binding, thus often neglected. Rather, the constituencies are readjusted through negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties at the National Assembly’s special committee of political reforms. Therefore, power struggles and collusions between parties play a bigger role in demarcation than rationality, and the share of Gyeongsang and Jeolla regions gets bigger in the process.

In the 19th general election last year, the constituency demarcation committee suggested creating eight new constituencies and eliminating five to add three seats of district representatives in total. However, both the ruling and opposition parties negated the suggestion and instead accepted the National Election Commission-mediated plan of adding three constituencies and eliminating two to increase the total only by one from 299 to 300 while keeping the seats of proportional representatives as is. This is a result of hasty agreement.

The population deviation between constituencies also needs to be narrowed down. In 2001 when the Constitutional Court decided the deviation as 3 to 1, it said, “The constitutionality of constituencies should be judged based on the deviation of 2 to 1 in the course of time.” The population deviation between constituencies in Korea is much larger than that in advanced countries.

Constituencies will have to be readjusted in three years before the 20th general election. For political development, not just the balance between Chungcheong and Jeolla but also all other factors should be taken into account. To do so and reach a reasonable conclusion in the end, discussions should begin much in advance of the election. As the interests of parties and lawmakers depend on this issue, an independent demarcation committee composed of civilians should take charge of the issue. A legal force should also be granted to the committee.