Overseas Absentee Voting Faces Uncertain Future

By Lee Tae-hoon
Staff Reporter

Considerable work needs to be done in order to prevent the Korean presidential and general elections in 2012 from becoming “disasters” in light of the introduction of overseas ballots.

The Constitutional Court overruled a decision to restrict suffrage to Korean nationals living abroad in 2007, paving the way for some 2.5 million citizens to vote from overseas.

Jung Tae-hee, chief director of the Overseas Voting Task Force at the National Election Commission (NEC), is one of the many who is concerned about the uncertain future of the upcoming elections.

Illegal Campaigning

Under the revised law enacted in February, direct campaigning is banned overseas. Candidates must promote themselves through the Internet, Korean satellite channels or by telephone.

Election campaigning by organizations affiliated with political groups or whose name indicates a certain candidate or political party is against the law, but it will be very difficult to monitor or punish them, Jung said.

“We would only be able to send our staff to 61 polling stations, where the number of eligible voters exceeds 10,000. Due to lack of manpower, many embassies will have to play the role of a watchdog,” he said.

This situation poses a number of serious problems -- the embassies may exert influence to support a particular party, especially the governing party. And election offenders may easily escape the Korean Election Law as they are living outside Korea’s jurisdiction.

In fact, illegal pre-electioneering is already becoming an issue. The U.S. Hannara Forum was launched in Los Angeles in January in an apparent attempt to side with the ruling Grand National Party, which is spelled “Hannara” in Korean.

Jung is well aware of the problem. However, it is practically impossible for him and his 15-member staff to scrutinize suspicious activities of such independent organizations which most likely flatly deny their connections with politicians here.

Jung is also worried that such illegal activity among overseas Koreans could harm the integration of Korean communities abroad.

Postal Voting

Jung predicts the majority of overseas Koreans will have to travel several hours and some will have to cross borders two times to register and cast a ballot.

He said that among 175 countries with a Korean population, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recognizes only 160 government buildings as polling stations.

To alleviate the problem, he said the NEC will encourage embassies to tour major Korean communities during the 3-month registration period.

As for casting a vote, there isn’t much that the watchdog can do as postal voting is banned under the law, Jung said.

“I think we shouldn’t have too high expectations this time,” Jung said. “I believe what is more important than making the 2012 elections accessible to everyone is running them fairly and transparently so that everyone can accept the outcomes.”

Jung said it was imperative that the National Assembly reaches a conclusion in a prompt manner over the postal voting issue.

If lawmakers pass a bill that allows postal voting or increases the number of polling stations only several months ahead of the elections, the NEC will have to greatly risk the integrity of the elections, he said.

The NEC carefully studied and proposed the postal voting system to policy makers between 2003 and 2006, but its recommendations were repeatedly rejected.

“I think there was a general consensus among lawmakers that overseas absentee voting should be limited in the first elections and then be expanded step by step,” he said. “However, lawmakers now face a dilemma as overseas Koreans are strongly demanding postal ballots and increasing voting places.”

But Jung points out that the government should give the NEC at least a couple of years to prepare for any new demands. Currently, only 1 percent ― or 16 ― of the NEC’s staff is designated to handle overseas ballots, though they are preparing a new election system for 2.4 million new voters, or 5 percent of the total.

Jung came up with the figure based on the assumption that roughly 80 percent of Koreans abroad are over 20 years old, according to the latest reported figures.

Both governing and opposition party lawmakers submitted bills last September and March that would introduce a postal voting system. But legislators have put the suffrage issue on the back burner amid political bickering.

Jung said it would be difficult to check the validity of the votes if the elections are run under loose supervision.

NEC has been publishing a weekly series on major Korean publications worldwide to inform overseas Koreans about their voting rights since Sept. 1.

For more information, visit its official Web site at www.nec.go.kr, call 82-2-503-0883 or e-mail les13@nec.go.kr.

leeth@koreatimes.co.kr

Facts About Overseas Absentee Vote

Who Is Eligible?

Korean citizens in foreign countries who are permanent residents or short-term visitors can cast ballots in the presidential election and poll to pick lawmakers under the proportional representation system.

On Feb. 5, 2009, the National Assembly approved a revised bill for the Public Official Election Act that allows overseas Korean nationals who are 19 years old or above to participate.

Short-term Korean visitors and permanent residents overseas who have reported domestic residence in Korea can also vote in all elections for public office if they visit Korea during the election period.
Koreans who have overstayed their visas in other countries will also be allowed to vote overseas.

Registration Period

In order to vote from overseas, those who are short-term visitors and overseas citizens and have reported domestic residence are required to report as overseas absentee voters between 60 and 150 days prior to the election.

Requirements for Overseas Voting

Those who have an address here will be required to send a completed application to the heads of local governments in Korea.

Those who do not have an address in Korea will have to visit an embassy or consult in person for registration.

Polling Stations

Embassies and consulates will be designated as polling stations by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Voting Method

Due to difficulties in delivery and printing, votes have to have the name or symbol of a candidate or party that they support written down.

The use of numbers is also being considered to help those who have poor Korean-language skills. Writing in a foreign language, however, will not be accepted.