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| Members of a youth civic group hold a press conference at the National Assembly, Nov. 18, urging lawmakers to lower the voting age to 18 from 19. The bill on the issue was passed recently. / Korea Time file |
By Kang Seung-woo
Mixed responses are rising over the National Assembly's passage of an election reform bill that lowers the voting age to 18 from current 19. Those aged 18 are usually high school seniors in Korea.
Proponents say the lower voting age will guarantee young people's right to vote, providing them opportunities to express their opinions publicly in areas directly linked to their lives such as education and employment, while critics are concerned that it could politicize classrooms.
Last week, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and smaller opposition parties passed a reform bill, enabling some 530,000 high school students to cast their votes in the upcoming general election scheduled for April 15, 2020. The age adjustment was one of President Moon Jae-in's campaign pledges.
Under the current Election Law, a national of 19 years of age or above shall have voting rights for the elections of the President, members of the National Assembly and heads of municipalities, while those aged 25 or above are eligible for becoming candidates for the Assembly and municipalities and those over 40, for President.
So far, Korea has been the lone member country of the OECD with its voting age set at 19, while the others have set the age at 18 or younger.
"A lower voting age has been what the youth has called for. En route to the general election, I plan to check candidates' plans on education and others that have to do with the youth," said a high schooler surnamed Jeong who will be eligible to vote next April.
"So far, election pledges have been about policies courting parents, but from now on, we hope more pledges will be centered on students."
In response to concerns that high school students are not politically mature enough, students say it is groundless.
"It is a violation of students' rights to prejudge that the youth would be politically swayed by teachers and politicians," said another student identified by the surname Kim. He will also cast his vote in the general election.
The liberal Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union welcomed the change as well.
"The low voting age meets the educational purpose of cultivating democratic citizens," the union said in a statement issued on Monday. "While school education on politics has been separated from real life so far, the lowering of the voting age will be a turning point for the nation to realize real education for life."
Contrary to this, the conservative Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations strongly protested the change, denouncing it as "anti-educational."
"It is an irresponsible move to use students as a means to garner votes in elections," the organization said.
"We will fully yet legitimately hold the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and smaller opposition parties and their candidates responsible for pushing for the passage of the election reform bill in the general election."
The head of a civic group in the education sector said, "With the nation still divided ideologically, education superintendents and even teachers do not remain politically neutral. Given that, we need a body to check those who try to force their politics on students."
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