{"id":2203775,"date":"2024-02-09T18:20:01","date_gmt":"2024-02-09T09:20:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2203775"},"modified":"2024-03-01T15:07:37","modified_gmt":"2024-03-01T06:07:37","slug":"satellite-parties-and-political-machinations-test-south-korean-elections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/02\/satellite-parties-and-political-machinations-test-south-korean-elections\/","title":{"rendered":"Satellite parties and political machinations test South Korean elections"},"content":{"rendered":"
In the lead-up to South Korea\u2019s general election this April, main opposition Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung has decided that the party will adhere to the semi-mixed-member-proportional (MMP) system, which the country adopted in 2020.<\/p>\n
This decision comes despite the ruling People Power Party\u2019s (PPP) criticism that the MMP system complicates the electoral process and potentially favors the DP through the use of satellite parties. The move has also been questioned by various other stakeholders, including other DP lawmakers.<\/p>\n
Lee\u2019s decision to retain this system is particularly contentious because it was originally intended to improve representation for smaller parties in the National Assembly. However, experts told Korea Pro<\/em> that, in practice, the MMP system is not conducive to reaching this goal and instead further complicates the electoral system, which could confuse voters.<\/p>\n
The debate over the semi-MMP rule highlights broader concerns about the impact of strategic political decisions on the democratic process. It also raises questions about the balance between political strategy and the pursuit of a more inclusive electoral system.<\/p>\n
To help readers understand the history and controversy surrounding the election system, Korea Pro<\/em> aims to clarify the operation of South Korea’s general elections, explore comparisons with other systems, and address why the country\u2019s model has become a subject of controversy.<\/p>\n
South Korean general election campaign posters in April 2020 | Image: Korea Pro<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n
What election rule did South Korea use in the past?<\/strong><\/p>\n
South Korea previously conducted general elections primarily under the mixed-member majoritarian (MMM) system to elect its legislators \u2014 involving both district and proportionate candidates.<\/p>\n
Proportional representation was first established in 1963, following a military coup, with the intention of enabling less popular military officials-turned-politicians to secure proportional seats, testimonies show.<\/p>\n
Over the years, especially before the democratization of the 1980s, the method for calculating the allocation of proportional seats varied from one election to the next. However, the principle that voters cast a single vote for a district candidate persisted until 2000.<\/p>\n
This system ensured that the number of votes received by a party\u2019s district representatives determined the percentage of the total proportional seats allocated to that party.<\/p>\n
However, the South Korean Constitutional Court ruled in 2001 that it was unconstitutional to use a one-person-one-ballot system to calculate parties\u2019 proportional representation seats. The court\u2019s decision was based on the principle that if a voter\u2019s preferred party did not field a candidate in their district, the voter had no means to support that party.<\/p>\n
Following this ruling, election laws were revised for the 2002 local elections and the 2004 parliamentary elections to permit two votes per person: one for district candidates and another for parties.<\/p>\n