Independent lawmaker Choi Hyuk-jin is moving to rejoin the Democratic Party of Korea. Choi plans to hold a news conference at the National Assembly on the 8th to announce the intention to return.
Choi's side said on the 5th, "We will hold a news conference at the National Assembly press center on the morning of the 8th to announce the move to return." At the news conference, Choi plans to personally explain the background of the return and future political plans.
In the 22nd general election in 2024, Choi ran with the No. 16 spot on the proportional representation list of the Democratic Coalition, allocated as the share for participation by the New Progressive Alliance (Basic Income Party, The Social Democratic Party of Korea, Open Democratic Party), but was defeated at the time. After Kang Yu-jung of the Democratic Party of Korea was appointed Presidential Office Spokesperson, a vacancy arose, and on June 9 last year the seat was passed on to Choi.
Afterward, through a Democratic Party of Korea general assembly of lawmakers, Choi was unanimously expelled from the Democratic Coalition and continued legislative activities as an independent.
In the parliamentary by-elections held alongside the June 3 local elections, the Democratic Party of Korea took nine seats, the People Power Party four, and independents one. Considering that 13 of the 14 by-election districts had been Democratic Party seats, the party's overall seat count effectively fell.
Accordingly, the existing 165 seats for the Democratic Party and 107 for the People Power Party change to 162 for the Democratic Party and 110 for the People Power Party.
If you add up the number of lawmakers in the ruling-bloc parties—the Democratic Party (162 seats), Rebuilding Korea Party (12), The Progressive Party (4), Basic Income Party (1), and The Social Democratic Party of Korea (1)—it totals 180, still an absolute majority. But because the Democratic Party and the Rebuilding Korea Party were at odds during the campaign, even a single seat is precious for the Democratic Party. If Choi returns, the Democratic Party's seats will rise to 163.