Strengthening Accountability of Chairperson and Secretary General and Enhancing Internal and External Oversight [National Election Commission Overhaul ④]

Amid a series of flawed elections that have eroded public trust, calls are mounting for a major overhaul of the National Election Commission's system of responsibility and oversight. Political circles, civil society, and academia are all arguing that the accountability of both the chairperson and the secretary general should be strengthened. There are also calls to reform or establish both internal and external audit bodies to enhance oversight from within and outside the organization.

Yonhap News

Proposals for Full-Time Chairperson and Confirmation Hearings for the Secretary General

Experts point to limiting the dual roles of chairpersons at the central and regional levels and making the positions full-time as alternatives to the Election Commission’s ambiguous responsibility structure. Noh Heebum, former Constitutional Research Officer, stated, "The chairperson must be able to take command of and exercise leadership over the Secretariat organization."

There are also suggestions to strengthen democratic oversight of the Secretariat. The Democratic Party and the People Power Party have each proposed bills to subject the secretary general to parliamentary confirmation hearings. Assemblyman Heo Young of the Democratic Party stated, "The Election Commission should also be subject to parliamentary oversight representing the public will, through a confirmation hearing for the secretary general."

Some argue that criminal penalties should be established to reinforce accountability among election officials. At a National Assembly forum on June 8, Professor Ji Sungwoo of Sungkyunkwan University Law School recommended adding a provision to the Public Official Election Act to allow for criminal punishment in cases where dereliction of election duties infringes on voting rights.

Calls for Citizen Oversight Bodies and Special Inspectors

There are also opinions that a citizen-participating external oversight body is necessary to strengthen control over the Election Commission. Professor Kim Seontae of Korea University said, "Given that the Election Commission is a constitutional body, it is worth considering a monitoring and supervisory body composed of citizens, with the National Assembly providing checks."

The People Power Party also proposed a party bill last year titled "Act on the Appointment of Special Inspectors for the National Election Commission and the Restoration of Public Trust," which centers on appointing a special inspector with independence in both appointment and activities, similar to the special inspector at the Blue House.

There is also a proposal to grant the Board of Audit and Inspection the authority to conduct official audits. Independent Assemblyman Han Donghoon has introduced a related bill. Professor Han Sanghee of Konkuk University Law School commented, "One possible approach is to revise the Board of Audit and Inspection Act so that a separate audit body, composed of external members and operating on a collegial basis, conducts audits." However, constitutional concerns remain.

Additionally, some advise making the Election Commission’s internal oversight organization more substantive. In a recent paper published in Constitutional Law Studies, Kim Naru, an expert adviser at the Ministry of Justice, suggested measures such as having the appointment and dismissal authority of audit committee members vested in the Election Commission’s collective body, mandating that a majority of committee members be external experts, and guaranteeing independence regarding budgetary matters.

There are also arguments for providing training to frontline Election Commission staff and local government officials who are involved in election operations during election periods. Professor Jang Youngsoo of Korea University Law School remarked, "These employees lack expertise and, since elections occur roughly every two years, they do not retain experience or know-how. Nationwide pre-election training is necessary."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.