Five parties — the Democratic Party of Korea, the Rebuilding Korea Party, the Progressive Party, the Basic Income Party, and the Social Democratic Party — agreed on June 2 to pursue political reforms including expanding multi-member districts for basic-level (municipal) councils and introducing multi-member districts for metropolitan councils. The parties aim to push through legislation by the 10th, but difficulties are expected as the People Power Party has not cooperated.
Han Byeong-do, floor leader of the Democratic Party, Seo Wang-jin, floor leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party, Yun Jong-o, floor leader of the Progressive Party, Han Chang-min, leader of the Social Democratic Party, and Shin Ji-hye, supreme council member of the Basic Income Party, held a joint press conference at the National Assembly and released a joint declaration on political reform.
The declaration calls for expanding the scope of multi-member districts for basic-level councils compared to the 2022 local elections, actively pursuing the introduction of multi-member districts for metropolitan councils, and raising the proportional representation ratio for metropolitan council members from the current 10% relative to district seats.
The parties agreed to launch a working-level committee starting on the 3rd to work on drafting legislation.
Issues that the Rebuilding Korea Party had been demanding — including a runoff voting system for local government heads, an expanded semi-proportional representation system, and easing requirements for forming negotiating blocs in the National Assembly — were set aside as future tasks. The Rebuilding Korea Party had originally planned to stage a picket protest timed to President Lee Jae-myung's supplementary budget address to the National Assembly, but canceled the plan after the agreement was reached.