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Recall rules enabling residents to oust local government chiefs or council members take effect Friday, when the one-year grace period for the Recall Act promulgated on May 24 last year expires.
The recall has two stages, petition and vote. Petitions for the recall of mayors of metropolises and governors must be signed by more than 10 percent of local residents and submitted to local election commissions. Mayors of smaller cities and county chiefs would face a recall ballot after 15 percent of voters sign the petitions. Residents will be empowered to recall local council members if 20 percent sign a petition. Residents can gather signatures for petitions for the recall of mayors of metropolises and governors for 120 days, and for mayors of smaller cities, county chiefs or council members for 60 days.
If petitions are filed, the local election commission will study the legality of the signatures collected and announce the voting day. The official subject to a recall will be suspended the moment the vote is announced. If more than one-third of local residents cast ballots and a majority of the valid ballots approve the recall, the officials are dismissed the moment the result is announced.
To prevent the abuse, recalls are not permitted for officials who have been in office for less than a year or whose remaining term is less than a year, or if a similar recall vote has been conducted less than a year earlier. Residents will therefore be able to file petitions for the recall of incumbent local government chiefs or council members starting July 1.
Some civic groups and residents are reportedly considering recalling chiefs of seven district offices in Seoul who went on a junket to South America paid for by taxpayers' money. They are also considering ousting Hanam City Mayor Kim Hwang-sik, who has tried to attract a crematorium for the Seoul metropolitan area, Busan Mayor Huh Nam-sik, who has been accused of instigating illegal activities in redevelopment and reconstruction, and Jeju Governor Kim Tae-whan, who has pushed for the construction of a naval base on the island.
It remains to be seen if enough residents can be persuaded to sign the petitions.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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