The National Election Broadcasting Debates Commission of NEC held the 1^st public policy debate for the 5^th Nationwide Local Elections to be televised on KBS and MBC from 10:00 to 12:00 on 23^rd of March.

The debaters are floor leaders of political parties which have 5 parliamentary seats or obtained more than 3% of the nationwide gross number of valid votes in the immediately previous presidential election, election for the proportional representatives of the National Assembly or Si/Do council.

The themes of this debate were ‘educational autonomy system’ and ‘reorganization of local government system’. The panelists had a heated discussion on the proposed free school lunch program to all elementary and middle school students.