Dominant Parties Accused of Monopolizing Power in South Korean Regional Councils

Regional councils in South Korea are facing significant conflicts during the formation of their committees and leadership, with accusations of monopolistic behavior leveled against dominant parties. The situation highlights a growing tension between the need for cooperation and the pursuit of power in local governance.

In Daegu, the Democratic Party, which has seen increased representation in local councils, is clashing with the People Power Party. The Dalseong County Council, with a 7-5 majority for the People Power Party, unilaterally passed a motion to abolish standing committees, citing operational inconveniences and difficulties in handling constituent complaints. According to data from the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, only 39 out of 226 local councils nationwide lacked standing committees in the latter half of the 9th term (July 2024-June 2026). Democratic Party members argue that abolishing these committees could concentrate power around the speaker, undermining checks and balances.

The Dalseong District Council (15 People Power Party, 10 Democratic Party) has seen its plenary sessions repeatedly disrupted for three days over the formation of the speaker and deputy speaker positions. While the Democratic Party demands a share of leadership and committee chairmanships, the People Power Party insists on resolving the matter through voting, which would allow them to secure all positions due to their majority. In practice, the Dalseong County Council and Suseong District Council proceeded with speaker elections after Democratic Party members walked out, resulting in the People Power Party securing both speaker and deputy speaker roles.

In the Jeollanam-do and Gwangju metropolitan area, conflicts have also emerged in local councils where smaller parties have gained a foothold. At the Mokpo City Council (15 Democratic Party, 7 non-Democratic Party members) plenary session on July 6, non-Democratic Party members ran for speaker, deputy speaker, and all four standing committee chair positions, but failed to win any. They stated their candidacy was a protest against the Democratic Party's refusal to concede any positions.

Park Yong-jun, an independent councilor who ran for speaker, questioned the Democratic Party's approach, asking, "Is it truly parliamentary democracy that the citizens of Mokpo desire, when power dictates sweeping all six positions?" In Yeosu City Council (21 Democratic Party, 5 non-Democratic Party members), the Democratic Party elected its own members as speaker and deputy speaker and is seeking to claim all four standing committee chair positions. The "Citizens' Sovereignty Alliance," a second parliamentary group formed by non-Democratic Party members, is demanding at least one seat be allocated to their group, based on their 19.2% representation.

In Muan County Council (5 Democratic Party, 4 non-Democratic Party members), the Democratic Party's offer to cede only the deputy speaker position while retaining the speaker and three standing committee chairmanships has been met with opposition from non-Democratic Party members, preventing the completion of committee formations. Similarly, the Nam District Council in Gwangju (9 Democratic Party, 3 Innovation Party) has also been unable to finalize its committee structure due to these issues. The Innovation Party's Gwangju chapter stated in a press conference, "The Democratic Party speaks of entirely different forms of democracy depending on the region." They questioned why the Democratic Party advocates for cooperation in Gyeongnam and practices it in Jeju, yet turns its back on cooperation in Gwangju.