The Basic Income Party proposed to the Democratic Party of Korea amending the National Assembly Act to ban lawmakers from concurrently serving as cabinet members without distinguishing between constituency seats and proportional representation. It came a day after its own lawmaker Yong Hye-in stepped down as nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family following controversy over holding both a proportional-representation seat and a ministerial post.
Oh Jun-ho, leader of the Basic Income Party, said at the supreme council meeting on the 14th, "Representative Yong and the Basic Income Party chose to protect the trust of the liberal and progressive camp and the conditions for coalition politics rather than hold on to one ministerial post," adding, "Now we ask the Democratic Party to show responsible leadership in coalition politics."
Oh said, "If the principle of checks and balances between the executive and legislative branches is important, there is no reason to allow ministerial posts for constituency lawmakers while demanding only proportional-representation lawmakers resign," proposing, "Let's put on the public agenda an amendment to the National Assembly Act to bar lawmakers from concurrently serving as cabinet members regardless of whether they are constituency or proportional-representation members."
Under the current National Assembly Act, it is possible for a lawmaker to concurrently serve as a cabinet member. However, when a proportional-representation lawmaker joins the cabinet, it has been customary to resign the seat so the next candidate on the list can succeed to the seat.
But Yong did not accept calls to resign, asking that the realities facing a minor party be taken into account. Afterward, Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok conveyed that a decision was needed, and Yong voluntarily withdrew as nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family the previous day.
Oh also raised the need to reform the electoral system.
He said, "The key task to prevent the emergence of satellite parties while upholding the cause of multiparty coalition politics is to expand proportional-representation seats and strengthen linkage," adding, "Let's ensure that the votes people give to each party translate as directly as possible into National Assembly seats."
He added, "From the time we received the offer of a ministerial post until now, the Basic Income Party has stood by the cause and principle of multiparty coalition politics," and "We will use this challenge as a stepping stone and strive further toward democracy for all and basic income for all."