Parties to Discuss Revision of Constituency

The ruling and opposition parties announced, ``We will discuss to revise the current Election Law for Public Positions and Prevention of Electoral Malpractices so as to reduce population differences between constituencies through special committee for political reforms, holding the Constitutional Court`s ruling in respect.`` as the Constitutional Court ruled unconstitutional the current arrangement of electoral districts for parliament whose population difference ratio between constituencies reaches up to 3.65 to 1.

The New Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) special committee for political reforms chairman Park Sang-Chun expressed his objection to the whole-scale revision of electoral districts, saying ``Another negative effect is expected as the number of lawmakers representing farmers and fishermen if the number of electoral districts is reduces under the circumstance that people concentrate into urban areas.``

The Grand National Party (GNP) special committee for political reforms chairman Kang Jae-Sup pointed out as well that ``The 16th National Assembly has reduced the number of seats by 25 to 274 for the purpose of reconstruction, but the Constitutional Court`s ruling may increase the number.``

Kim Chang-Hyuk chang@donga.com