Daedeok-gu council paralyzed for two months; Democrats promise to return allowances

Lawmakers from the Democratic Party in the Daedeok-gu District Council in Daejeon, South Korea, have publicly apologized for a two-month stalemate in forming the council's leadership. Facing mounting criticism, the party's council members announced they would return their council activity fees and monthly stipends to society through legal procedures until the council's operations are normalized.

The Daedeok-gu Council has been unable to agree on its leadership since its 10th term began in July, with both the Democratic Party and the People Power Party holding four seats each. Attempts to elect a council speaker have repeatedly failed. Two sessions were canceled due to the opposition's absence, and in two other instances, votes for the Democratic Party's candidate, Seo Mi-kyung, resulted in a tie.

This political deadlock has disrupted the council's schedule, delaying important tasks such as organizational restructuring and the review of supplementary budgets. Despite the ongoing impasse, council members received their full allowances and monthly stipends, totaling approximately 4.56 million won (pre-tax) per person for council activity fees and monthly stipends, which has drawn media criticism.

The Democratic Party lawmakers stated they cannot accept the opposition's approach of demanding prior agreement before voting, which effectively nullifies the nomination and voting process. They expressed willingness to accept the outcome if the opposition registers its own candidate for council speaker and participates in a debate and vote.