The Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party pushed through amendments to political laws, including the Public Official Election Act, the Political Parties Act, and the Political Funds Act, at the National Assembly plenary session on Tuesday. The amendments allow party member councils or regional committees to establish one office each. The two parties cited political reform and the strengthening of grassroots democracy as justifications. However, critics argue that reviving local party chapters — abolished in 2004 amid the so-called "money politics" controversy involving illegal political fund solicitations — after 22 years amounts to a regression rather than reform.
The amendments are also being criticized as a backroom deal aimed at reinforcing the vested interests of the two major parties. Just before the plenary session, the two parties agreed to raise the proportional representation ratio for metropolitan council members from the current 10 percent to 14 percent, and to introduce a multi-member district system in four electoral zones, including Dongnam-A, among Gwangju's National Assembly districts. The related bills were processed in rapid succession through the subcommittee and full meeting of the Special Committee on Political Reform, and the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. With only 47 days remaining until the June 3 local elections, the legislation was pushed through solely by agreement between the leaderships of the two parties, without a single round of public deliberation — a textbook case of hasty lawmaking. Four progressive parties criticized the move as "a closed-door collusion to defend vested interests."
Above all, there is significant concern that the amendments will further muddy an election landscape already flooded with populist pledges, such as handouts of 1 million won ($720) in gift certificates. The two parties drew a line by stating that "local offices cannot solicit donations," but the rent and labor costs required to operate such offices are far from trivial. Without transparent means of funding, the arrangement could ultimately lead to irregular support from local stakeholders and under-the-table financing, as in the past. Local party chapters were abolished as a measure to root out the hotbed of high-cost and corrupt politics, yet the two parties have joined hands to reverse that decision.
Reviving local party chapters without a transparent system that the public can accept will only deepen political distrust. The outdated practices of the past, such as money-driven elections and organizational mobilization, must not be repeated. The two parties should immediately move forward with follow-up legislation that includes strong sanctions, such as mandatory disclosure of fund flows and strict punishment for violations. Establishing an accounting oversight system that allows anyone to transparently examine how donations and operating expenses are used is the starting point for transparent political reform and genuine grassroots democracy. Political reform without public consensus cannot expect to succeed.
