Assembly committee okays bill on lowering age of candidacy for lawmakers, local elections

Members of the Special Committee on Political Reform attend a meeting at the National Assembly, Monday. Joint Press Corps

A National Assembly committee on Tuesday approved a bill on lowering the age of candidacy for parliamentary and local elections, in a move to woo young voters ahead of next March's presidential election.

Under the move, the age of candidacy for parliamentary and local elections will be lowered to 18 from 25, according to officials at the National Assembly's Special Committee on Political Reform.

If the National Assembly's plenary session approves the bill later this week, a Cabinet meeting will endorse the bill in January.

If so, an 18-year-old can run for a by-election for lawmakers on March 9, when South Korea simultaneously holds a presidential election.

Rep. Cho Hae-jin of the main opposition People Power Party, head of the Special Committee on Political Reform, told Yonhap News Agency by telephone that people aged 18 or older could run for a by-election on March 9.

In case of a presidential election, the age of candidacy is set at those aged 40 or older. (Yonhap)