Venice Commission - Report on Bicameralism

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Korea, Republic

1.Has the country ever had a bicameral parliamentary (or congressional) system in the past? If so, in which period? Why was it decided to change into a unicameral system? Is there a public debate about changing to a bicameral system? What are the terms of the debate?

During the First Republic (1948) : Under the first constitution, the National Assembly was unicameral. Under the second and third constitutions, the National Assembly was to be bicameral and consist of the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors, but in practice the legislature was unicameral because the House of Representatives was prevented from passing the law necessary to establish the House of Councillors. Same for the Second Republic. Third Republic : Since the reopening of the National Assembly in 1963 until today, it has been unicameral.

2.What is the population of the country? What is its size?

100,363 km2 ; 51,966,948 inhab.

3.What form of state and form of government has the country? Please provide details with reference to relevant constitutional provisions. a) Unitarian or federal/regional/other form of decentralization; b) Parliamentary, presidential, semi-presidential or mixed

South Korea is a Republic. Its government's structure is determined by the Constitution of the Republic of Korea. Like many democratic states, South Korea has a government divided into three branches: executive, judicial, and legislative.

4.How many members are in the lower house?

The National Assembly has 300 seats.