National Assembly (South Korea)
National Assembly of the Republic of Korea 대한민국 국회 大韓民國 國會 Daehanminguk Gukhoe | |
---|---|
21st National Assembly | |
Type | |
Type | Unicameral |
Leadership | |
Deputy Speaker | |
Deputy Speaker | |
Structure | |
Seats | 300 |
Political groups | Government
Confidence-and-supply (de facto)
Opposition
|
Length of term | 4 years |
Salary | $115,000 |
Elections | |
Voting system | Parallel voting: 253 FPTP seats, 17 PR seats with 3% electoral threshold (Largest remainder method) Additional member system (30 seats) |
Last election | 15 April 2020 |
Next election | |
Meeting place | |
National Assembly Building Seoul, South Korea 37°31′55.21″N 126°54′50.66″E / 37.5320028°N 126.9140722°E | |
Website | |
korea.assembly.go.kr | |
Footnotes | |
The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, often shortened to the National Assembly in domestic English-language media, is the unicameral national legislature of South Korea.[2] Elections to the National Assembly are held every four years. The latest legislative elections were held on 15 April 2020. The National Assembly has 300 seats, with 253 constituency seats and 47 proportional representation seats; 30 of the PR seats are assigned on additional member system, while 17 PR seats use the parallel voting method.
The unicameral assembly consists of at least 200 members according to the South Korean constitution. In 1990 the assembly had 299 seats, 224 of which were directly elected from single-member districts in the general elections of April 1988. Under applicable laws, the remaining seventy-five representatives were elected from party lists. By law, candidates for election to the assembly must be at least thirty years of age. As part of a political compromise in 1987, an earlier requirement that candidates have at least five years' continuous residency in the country was dropped to allow Kim Dae-Jung, who had spent several years in exile in Japan and the United States during the 1980s, to return to political life. The National Assembly's term is four years. In a change from the more authoritarian Fourth Republic and Fifth Republic (1972–80 and 1980–87, respectively), under the Sixth Republic, the assembly cannot be dissolved by the president.
Current composition[]
Group | Floor leader | Seats | % of seats | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Yun Ho-jung | 170 | 56.6% | |
People Power | Kim Gi-hyeon | 103 | 34.3% | |
Justice | 6 | 2.0% | ||
People | 3 | 1.0% | ||
Open Democratic | 3 | 1.0% | ||
Basic Income | 1 | 0.3% | ||
Period Transition | 1 | 0.3% | ||
Independents | 12 | 4.0% | ||
Vacant | 1 | 0.3% | ||
Total | 300 | 100.0% | ||
Notes:
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Structure and appointment[]
Speaker[]
The constitution stipulates that the assembly is presided over by a Speaker and two Deputy Speakers,[3] who are responsible for expediting the legislative process. The Speaker and Deputy Speakers are elected in a secret ballot by the members of the Assembly, and their term in office is restricted to two years.[4] The Speaker is independent of party affiliation, and the Speaker and Deputy Speakers may not simultaneously be government ministers.[4]
Negotiation groups[]
Parties that hold at least 20 seats in the assembly form floor negotiation groups (Korean: 교섭단체, Hanja: 交涉團體, RR: gyoseop danche), which are entitled to a variety of rights that are denied to smaller parties. These include a greater amount of state funding and participation in the leaders' summits that determine the assembly's legislative agenda.[5]
In order to meet the quorum, the United Liberal Democrats, who then held 17 seats, arranged to "rent" three legislators from the Millennium Democratic Party. The legislators returned to the MDP after the collapse of the ULD-MDP coalition in September 2001.[6]
Legislative process[]
To introduce a bill, a legislator must present the initiative to the Speaker with the signatures of at least ten other members of the assembly. The bill must then be edited by a committee to ensure that the bill contains correct and systematic language. It can then be approved or rejected by the Assembly.[7]
Committees[]
There are 17 standing committees which examine bills and petitions falling under their respective jurisdictions, and perform other duties as prescribed by relevant laws.[8]
- House Steering Committee
- Legislation and Judiciary Committee
- National Policy Committee
- Strategy and Finance Committee
- Science, ICT, Future Planning, Broadcasting and Communications Committee
- Education Committee
- Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee
- Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee
- National Defense Committee
- Security and Public Administration Committee
- Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee
- Trade, Industry and Energy Committee
- Health and Welfare Committee
- Environment and Labor Committee
- Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee
- Intelligence Committee
- Gender Equality and Family Committee
Election[]
The National Assembly has 300 seats, with 253 constituency seats and 47 proportional representation seats. However, 30 of the PR seats are assigned on additional member system, while 17 PR seats use the parallel voting method.[9] The voting age was also lowered from 19 to 18 years old, expanding the electorate by over half a million voters.[10]
Legislative violence[]
From 2004 to 2009, the assembly gained notoriety as a frequent site for legislative violence.[11] The Assembly first came to the world's attention during a violent dispute on impeachment proceedings for then President Roh Moo-hyun,[12][13] when open physical combat took place in the assembly. Since then, it has been interrupted by periodic conflagrations, piquing the world's curiosity once again in 2009 when members battled each other with sledgehammers and fire extinguishers.[14][15][16] Images of the melee were broadcast around the world.
History[]
Politics of South Korea |
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South Korea portal
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First Republic[]
Elections for the assembly were held under UN supervision[17] on 10 May 1948. The First Republic of Korea was established on 17 July 1948[18] when the constitution of the First Republic was established by the Assembly. The Assembly also had the job of electing the President, and elected anti-communist Syngman Rhee as president on 10 May 1948.
Under the first constitution, the National Assembly was unicameral. Under the second and third constitutions, the National Assembly was to be bicameral and consist of the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors, but in practice the legislature was unicameral because the House of Representatives was prevented from passing the law necessary to establish the House of Councillors.
Conservative Liberal Progressive
majority plurality only largest minority
National Assembly |
Majority Party |
Majority Leader |
Seats | Speaker | Seats | Minority Leaders |
Minority Parties | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st (1948) |
NARRKI→NA | 55 | 1948 Rhee Syng-man (supported by NARRKI) 1948–1950 Shin Ik-hee (supported by NARRKI until 1949) |
29 | KDP→DNP | ||||
116 | others | ||||||||
2nd (1950) |
DNP | 24 | Shin Ik-hee (supported by DNP) | 24 | KNP | ||||
14 | NA | ||||||||
148 | others | ||||||||
3rd (1954) |
LP | 114 | Yi Ki-bung (supported by LP) | 15 | DNP→DP (55) | ||||
3 | NA | ||||||||
3 | KNP | ||||||||
68 | others | ||||||||
4th (1958) |
LP | 126 | Yi Ki-bung (supported by LP) | 79 | DP (55) | ||||
28 | others |
Second Republic[]
House of Representatives | Majority Party |
Majority Leader |
Seats | Speaker | Seats | Minority Leaders |
Minority Parties | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5th (1960) |
DP (55) | 175 | (supported by DP (55)) | 58 | Others |
House of Councillors | Majority Party |
Majority Leader |
Seats | President | Seats | Minority Leaders |
Minority Parties | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5th (1960) |
DP (55) | 31 | Paek Nak-chun (supported by DP (55)) | 27 | Others |
Third Republic[]
Since the reopening of the National Assembly in 1963 until today, it has been unicameral.
National Assembly |
Majority Party |
Majority Leader |
Seats | Speaker | Seats | Minority Leaders |
Minority Parties | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6th (1963) |
DRP | 110 | (supported by DRP) | 41 | →PP→NDP | ||||
13 | DP (55)→PP→NDP | ||||||||
7th (1967) |
DRP | 129 | (supported by DRP) | 45 | NDP | ||||
8th (1971) |
DRP | 113 | Baek Du-jin (supported by DRP) | 89 | NDP |
Fourth Republic[]
National Assembly |
Majority Party |
Majority Leader |
Seats | Speaker | Seats | Minority Leaders |
Minority Parties | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9th (1973) |
DRP+Presidential appointees | 146 | Chung Il-kwon (supported by DRP) | 52 | NDP | ||||
10th (1978) |
DRP+Presidential appointees ↓ KNP |
145 | 1978–1879 Chung Il-kwon (supported by DRP) 1979 Baek Du-jin (supported by DRP) |
61 | NDP |
Fifth Republic[]
National Assembly |
Majority Party |
Majority Leader |
Seats | Speaker | Seats | Minority Leaders |
Minority Parties | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11th (1981) |
DJP | 151 | 1981–1983 (supported by DJP) 1983–1985 (supported by DJP) |
81 | DKP | ||||
25 | KNP | ||||||||
12th (1985) |
DJP | 148 | (supported by DJP) | 67 | NKDP | ||||
35 | DKP | ||||||||
20 | KNP |
Sixth Republic[]
majority plurality largest minority
Term (Election) | Composition (at commencement) |
Speaker | Majority floor leader | Minority floor leader (largest parliamentary group) |
Conservative current: PPP |
Liberal current: DP |
Progressive current: JP |
Miscellaneous right |
Miscellaneous left |
Independent |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
13th (1988) | 70:104:125
|
(1988–90) (1990–92) |
(1988) (1988–90) Park Tae-joon (1990) Kim Young-sam (1990–92) (DJP→DLP) |
Kim Dae-jung (PDP→DP91) |
125 | 70 | - | 59 | 36 | 9 |
14th (1992) | 97:52:149
|
(1992–93) (1993) (1993–94) (1994–96) |
Kim Young-sam (1992) Kim Jong-pil (1992–95) (1995) (1995–96) (DLP→NKP) |
Kim Dae-jung (1992–93) Lee Ki-taek (1993–95) Kim Dae-jung (1995–96) (DP91→NCNP) |
149 | 97 | - | - | 31 | 21 |
15th (1996) | 79:81:139
|
(1996–98) (1998–00) |
Lee Hong-koo (1996–97) Lee Hoi-chang (1997) (1997) Lee Hoi-chang (1997) Lee Han-dong (1997) (1997) Lee Sang-deuk (1997–98) (1998) (1998–99) (1999–00) (NKP→GNP) |
(1996–99) (1999) (1999–00) (2000) (NCNP→MDP) |
139 | 79 | - | 65 | - | 16 |
16th (2000) | 115:25:133
|
(2000–02) (2002–04) |
(2000–01) Lee Jae-oh (2001–02) (2002–03) (2003–04) (GNP) |
(2000) Kim Jung-kwon (2000–01) (2001–02) (2002–03) (2003) (2003) (2003–04) (MDP) |
133 | 115 | - | 20 | - | 5 |
17th (2004) | 10:152:16:121
|
(2004–06) (2006–08) |
Chun Jung-bae (2004–05) Chung Sye-kyun (2005–06) Kim Han-gil (2006–07) (2007–08) (2008) (UP→UDP) |
(2004–05) Kang Jae-sup (2005–06) Lee Jae-oh (2006) Kim Hyong-o (2006–07) Ahn Sang-soo (2007–08) (GNP) |
121 | 152 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 3 |
18th (2008) | 5:81:60:153
|
Kim Hyong-o (2008–10) (2010–12) Chung Eui-hwa (2012) |
Hong Jun-pyo (2008–09) Ahn Sang-soo (2009–10) Kim Moo-sung (2010–11) Hwang Woo-yea (2011–12) (GNP→SP/NFP) |
(2008–09) (2009–10) Park Jie-won (2010–11) Kim Jin-pyo (2011–12) (UDP→DP08→DUP) |
153 | 81 | 5 | 32 | 3 | 25 |
19th (2012) | 13:127:8:152
|
Kang Chang-hee (2012–14) Chung Ui-hwa (2014–16) |
Lee Hahn-koo (2012–13) Choi Kyoung-hwan (2013–14) Lee Wan-koo (2014–15) Yoo Seung-min (2015) Won Yoo-chul (2015–16) (SP/NFP) |
Park Jie-won (2012) (2012–13) (2013–14) Park Young-sun (2014) Kim Yung-rok (2014) (2014–15) Lee Jong-kul (2015–16) (DUP→DP11→NPAD→DP14) |
152 | 127 | 13 | 5 | - | 3 |
20th (2016) | 6:123:49:122
|
Chung Sye-kyun (2016–18) Moon Hee-sang (2018–20) |
Woo Sang-ho (2016–17) Woo Won-shik (2017–18) Hong Young-pyo (2018–19) Lee In-young (2019–20) (DP14) |
Chung Jin-suk (2016) (2016–17) Kim Sung-tae (2017–18) Na Kyung-won (2018–19) Shim Jae-chul (2019–20) (SP/NFP→LKP→UFP) |
122 | 123 | 6 | - | 38 | 11 |
21st (2020) | 6:180:11:103
|
Park Byeong-seug (2020–present) | Yun Ho-jung (2020–present) (DP14) |
Joo Ho-young (2020–2021) Kim Gi-hyeon (2021–present (UFP→PPP) |
103 | 180 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
Members[]
- List of members of the South Korean Constituent Assembly
- List of members of the National Assembly (South Korea), 1950–1954
- List of members of the National Assembly (South Korea), 1954–1958
- List of members of the National Assembly (South Korea), 1981–1985
- List of members of the National Assembly (South Korea), 1985–1988
- List of members of the National Assembly (South Korea), 1988–1992
- List of members of the National Assembly (South Korea), 1992–1996
- List of members of the National Assembly (South Korea), 1996–2000
- List of members of the National Assembly (South Korea), 2000–2004
- List of members of the National Assembly (South Korea), 2004–2008
- List of members of the National Assembly (South Korea), 2008–2012
- List of members of the National Assembly (South Korea), 2012–2016
- List of members of the National Assembly (South Korea), 2016–2020
- List of members of the National Assembly (South Korea), 2020–2024
See also[]
- List of Korea-related topics
- List of political parties in South Korea
- Politics of South Korea
- Supreme People's Assembly, the North Korean legislature
References[]
- ^ The Speaker is required to not have membership of any political party during his or her tenure as Speaker, by law. Formerly a member of the Democratic
- ^ Article 21, Clause 1 of the Election Law
- ^ Article 48 of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Park, Young-Do (2010). "Kapitel 2: Verfassungsrecht". Einführung in das koreanische Recht [Introduction to Korean Law] (in German). Springer. p. 25. ISBN 9783642116032.
- ^ Youngmi Kim (2011). The Politics of Coalition in South Korea. Taylor & Francis, p. 65.
- ^ Y. Kim, pp. 68–9.
- ^ Park 2010, p. 27.
- ^ "Standing Committees and Special Committees of the National Assembly". National Assembly (in Korean).
- ^ 김광태 (23 December 2019). "(2nd LD) Opposition party launches filibuster against electoral reform bill". Yonhap News Agency. Archived from the original on 3 January 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
- ^ "18-year-olds Hit the Polls for First Time in S. Korea". Korea Bizwire. 15 April 2020. Archived from the original on 19 April 2020. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
- ^ "The World's Most Unruly Parliaments".
- ^ "South Korean president impeached". 12 March 2004 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "In pictures: Impeachment battle". 12 March 2004 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ Glionna, By John M. "South Korea lawmakers: Reaching across the aisle with a sledgehammer". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "South Korean politicians use fire extinguishers against opposition". 18 December 2008 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ "Hall of Violence". 2 March 2009.
- ^ Setting the Stage Archived 16 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ ICL – South Korea Index Archived 13 December 2006 at the Wayback Machine
- National Assembly (South Korea)
- National legislatures
- Government of South Korea
- Unicameral legislatures