Constitutional Court rules for succession in proportional seats

SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- The Constitutional Court ruled Thursday to allow
succession of parliamentary seats held by lawmakers elected on proportional
representation, concluding that prohibiting it is unconstitutional.

The decision affects a minor opposition party, the Pro-Park Geun-hye Alliance,
whose members have been waiting to fill seats left vacant after their legislators
were convicted of election law violations and stripped of their National Assembly
seats.
The minor party supports Park Geun-hye, a ruling Grand National Party (GNP)
lawmaker who ran against President Lee Myung-bak for the party's presidential
nomination. She still wields considerable influence within the ruling bloc.
The current law prohibits succession of parliamentary seats if they had been held
by lawmakers elected on proportional representation and were vacated because of
election law violations.
"The law not only strips a convicted lawmaker of a parliamentary seat, but also
bans the party from keeping the seat, and as a result ignores the will of the
voters," the court said.
With the ruling, the Pro-Park Geun-hye Alliance will regain three parliamentary
seats. The party had eight seats before the disqualifications in May.
The main opposition Democratic Party will also regain one seat from Thursday's
ruling.
Fifty-six of the 299 members of the National Assembly are elected through
proportional representation.
brk@yna.co.kr
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