Democratic Party pushes electoral commission reform plan… considers dissolution and permanent status through constitutional revision

The Democratic Party of Korea has put forward a reform plan for the National Election Commission in relation to the controversy over poor management of the June 3 local elections. On the 26th, the Democratic Party's Election Commission reform task force (TF) said it would pursue reorganizing the NEC through a constitutional amendment, making the chairperson of the Central Election Commission a fulltime position, and introducing audits by the Board of Audit and Inspection. The TF is considering a plan to reorganize the NEC to the point of dismantlement through a constitutional revision, and to change its name and composition method as well. It also includes increasing the number of standing commissioners so that key duties such as election management, investigation and enforcement, and organizational operations can be divided among them. The Democratic Party explained that this discussion arose from election management problems such as the shortage of ballots. It also plans to push ahead with measures to legalize the NEC's audit system and strengthen its obligation to report to the National Assembly.