Lawmaker proposes bill barring proportional lawmakers from concurrently holding Cabinet posts
A lawmaker of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) proposed a bill Friday that would require proportional representation lawmakers to give up their parliamentary seats in order to serve as Cabinet members. The proposal came as Rep. Yong Hye-in of the minor Basic Income Party, nominee for gender equality minister, faced criticism after expressing her intention to retain her National…
A member of South Korea's main opposition People Power Party has introduced a bill that would prevent proportional representation lawmakers from simultaneously holding Cabinet positions, according to a report. The bill was proposed in response to criticism faced by Rep. Yong Hye-in, a nominee for the position of gender equality minister and member of the minor Basic Income Party.
Yong Hye-in's refusal to relinquish her parliamentary seat, even after being appointed to a Cabinet role, has highlighted a loophole in the current system that permits lawmakers to serve in both capacities. Rep. Kim Jae-sub, the PPP representative who introduced the bill, stated that the proposal aims to amend the National Assembly Act to address this inconsistency.
Under the existing legislation, lawmakers are allowed to serve concurrently as members of the Cabinet, although proportional representatives have traditionally chosen to forgo their parliamentary seats in favor of Cabinet positions, promoting the next candidate on the proportional representation list to fill the vacancy. Currently, Rep. Yong Hye-in is the sole representative from her party, and she had previously expressed her intention to retain her Assembly seat if appointed as a minister.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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