The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Netflix apologizes for filming 'Single's Inferno 3' in marine sanctuary

  • 3

    In-N-Out Burger pop-up store attracts record crowd

  • 5

    Calls grow for female flight attendants to ditch skirts for pants

  • 7

    Hamburger franchises having trouble in M&A market

  • 9

    Man gets five-year jail term for K-pop concert ticket fraud

  • 11

    Suspect in grisly Busan murder sent to prosecutors for further probe

  • 13

    Small business owners urge stricter rules on migrant workers switching jobs

  • 15

    Nexon case reignites controversy over high level of inheritance tax

  • 17

    Pandas at Everland become tourist magnet

  • 19

    S. Korea succeeds in L-SAM missile interception test for 3rd time

  • 2

    BTS' RM named honorary ambassador of war-remains excavation agency

  • 4

    'BLACKPINK the Game' showcases group's unique charm

  • 6

    EXO's Baekhyun, Xiumin and Chen in dispute with SM over contract issue

  • 8

    Transgender cyclist looks to spark debate in historic appearance

  • 10

    Pyongyang seeks to portray rocket as science effort by admitting failure: experts

  • 12

    Hallyu inspires Thailand to mull ways to export its culture

  • 14

    Police send girlfriend murder suspect to prosecution

  • 16

    From hardcore action to heart-throbbing romance, series to hit in June

  • 18

    Stray Kids drops 3rd LP with 'unique, enjoyable' lead track

  • 20

    JYP to expand partnership with US music label

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sat, June 3, 2023 | 16:37
-------------------------
57% of Koreans Support Overseas Absentee Voting
Posted : 2010-01-24 16:53
Updated : 2010-01-24 16:53
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Lee Tae-hoon
Staff Reporter

About 57.4 percent of respondents welcomed the decision to grant suffrage to some 2.5 million Korean nationals living overseas and allow them to vote in the general elections in 2012 and beyond, according to a survey Sunday.

Yet, 60.3 percent of Koreans expressed objections to allowing them to vote by mail or online, and instead wanted them to vote directly at embassies or polling stations.

The survey of 800 adults in seven cities nationwide was conducted by the research firm Embrain over the past three months for the Overseas Koreans Foundation, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

In February 2009, the National Assembly approved a revised bill to let Korean expatriates pick the president and lawmakers under the proportional representation system.

Meanwhile, the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), which was reluctant to endorse the overseas absentee voting system due to its weak support base abroad, has recently changed its stance and decided to seek legislation that would grant more options for the new voters.

``There has been mounting concern that the voter turnout of overseas Koreans will remain at between three to five percent if only direct voting is allowed,'' Kim Sung-gon, director of the DP's Special Committee on Overseas Koreans, said in a radio interview in New York, Friday.

``Even the Korean Consulate General in New York, to which 100,000 Korean nationals will have to travel to in order to cast a ballot, is only capable of permitting a maximum of 3,000 voters a day.''

Under the current system, only 166 diplomatic centers in 110 countries are recognized as polling stations, forcing many voters to travel several hours and some to cross borders to register and cast a ballot.

A similar survey of 610 Koreans in the United States, conducted by the Korea Academy for Political Science and Law last September and October, show that only 31.8 percent of the respondents preferred visiting the polling stations.

The majority of them answered that they favored absentee voting, with 36.1 percent supporting online voting, followed by 28.6 percent with postal voting, according to Park Sang-chul, president of the private think tank.

The governing Grand National Party plans to pass an overseas absentee voting bill sometime this year since a considerable amount of time and preparation will be needed to implement the new system before the 2012 elections.

The foundation's survey also found that 16.9 percent of the respondents have close relatives outside the Korean Peninsula, while 60 percent are interested in issues related to the livelihood of overseas Koreans.

leeth@koreatimes.co.kr
 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1Roland Garros 2023 Roland Garros 2023
2Airlines fiercely compete to acquire additional aircraft Airlines fiercely compete to acquire additional aircraft
3Seoul imposes sanctions on North Korean hacking group for role in space launch Seoul imposes sanctions on North Korean hacking group for role in space launch
4More banks offer daily interest payments on deposits More banks offer daily interest payments on deposits
5POSCO, GM expand joint EV battery materials investment in North America POSCO, GM expand joint EV battery materials investment in North America
6KAERI distances itself from Oxford professor's claim on Fukushima water KAERI distances itself from Oxford professor's claim on Fukushima water
7HMM tasked with preventing sale of Hyundai LNG to foreign firm HMM tasked with preventing sale of Hyundai LNG to foreign firm
8LG Chem joins Korean firms strengthening ties with Japan LG Chem joins Korean firms strengthening ties with Japan
9Hyundai Elevator launches AI, IoT-powered maintenance service Hyundai Elevator launches AI, IoT-powered maintenance service
10Indo-Pacific region highlighted as important for Korean economy's future Indo-Pacific region highlighted as important for Korean economy's future
Top 5 Entertainment News
1'HyeMiLeeYeChaePa' producer Lee Tae-kyung hopeful of second season 'HyeMiLeeYeChaePa' producer Lee Tae-kyung hopeful of second season
2How artist Michael Rakowitz resurrects lost past of Iraq through food packaging How artist Michael Rakowitz resurrects lost past of Iraq through food packaging
3[INTERVIEW] 'One Day Off' star Lee Na-young, director on creating subtle, feel-good series INTERVIEW'One Day Off' star Lee Na-young, director on creating subtle, feel-good series
4From hardcore action to heart-throbbing romance, series to hit in June From hardcore action to heart-throbbing romance, series to hit in June
5[INTERVIEW] Lee Jun-hyuk unrecognizable in 'The Roundup: No Way Out' INTERVIEWLee Jun-hyuk unrecognizable in 'The Roundup: No Way Out'
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group