The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Entertainment
& Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
Sports
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
Video
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sat, May 28, 2022 | 07:24
Politics
18-year-olds hit the polls for first time in Korea
Posted : 2020-04-15 17:02
Updated : 2020-04-15 19:00
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down
Eighteen-year-olds have been given the right to vote in this year's general election for the first time in Korea after the National Assembly passed an electoral reform bill lowering the voting age to 18 from 19 last year. Korea Times file
Eighteen-year-olds have been given the right to vote in this year's general election for the first time in Korea after the National Assembly passed an electoral reform bill lowering the voting age to 18 from 19 last year. Korea Times file

New 18-year-old voters cast their ballots in a general election for the first time on Wednesday amid concerns that the coronavirus may affect the turnout of the new voters.

In late 2019, the National Assembly passed an electoral reform bill lowering the voting age from 19 to 18 and allowing eligible high school students to vote.

Until last year, South Korea was the only country among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries that did not grant voting rights to 18-year-olds.

Although the spread of the coronavirus emerged as a key element of setback that could lower voter turnout, many young voters headed to polling stations with hopes their votes could change Korean society for the better.

"It feels good to become a proud voter of South Korea ... I came to the polls excited to cast my first vote and to exercise my voting rights to voice an opinion, however small, in youth policies," said Lee Min-seo, a senior high school student who came to vote with her parents in Chuncheon, 85 kilometers east of Seoul.

Ruling party wins crushing victory in parliamentary elections
Ruling party wins crushing victory in parliamentary elections
2020-04-15 19:36  |  Politics

First-time voters also said they carefully studied the political campaign promises of candidates to come up with their decisions.

"I decided to vote because I wanted to experience the implications and the pros and cons of the elections that I had learned in school, and to exercise my valuable rights that are guaranteed by law," said Park Chae-won, a senior high school student in Sejong city, 130 kilometers south of Seoul.

Park said she voted for the candidate that came up with feasible promises after looking closely at the candidates' criminal records, whether or not they served in the military and the list of properties they owned.

"I cast my ballot hoping for a better South Korea," said a college freshman from Gyeongbuk Province who asked to be identified only by his surname Kim.

The number of 18-year-old eligible voters in South Korea is some 540,000, making up 1.2 percent of the total eligible voters of around 44 million. Among them, the number of high school students is estimated at around 140,000. (Yonhap)



 
  • [SPECIAL REPORT] Asylum-seekers create Myanmartown from scratch in Bupyeong
  • S. Korean volunteer fighter in Ukraine returns home with knee injuries
  • Koreans ready to flock to Japan as tourism resumes in June
  • Presidential security team misplaces live bullets
  • UN Security Council fails to pass N. Korea resolution due to opposition from China, Russia
  • Early voting for local elections kicks off
  • Trade deficit feared to become long-lasting trend
  • Sex slavery activist Youn under fire for not sharing details of settlement with victims
  • POSCO Chemical, GM pick Quebec as site for $327 mil. joint cathode plant
  • WHO assembly slams Russian attacks on Ukraine health facilities
  • Disney+ original 'Kiss Sixth Sense' to offer high-spirited, fantasy rom-com Disney+ original 'Kiss Sixth Sense' to offer high-spirited, fantasy rom-com
  • [INTERVIEW] German professor hopes to boost appreciation for Korean traditional music [INTERVIEW] German professor hopes to boost appreciation for Korean traditional music
  • 'The Roundup' becomes most-watched Korean film in pandemic era 'The Roundup' becomes most-watched Korean film in pandemic era
  • [INTERVIEW] Korea needs more small-sized concert venues: Prof. Lee Gyu-tag [INTERVIEW] Korea needs more small-sized concert venues: Prof. Lee Gyu-tag
  • Korean films make splash at Cannes Film Festival Korean films make splash at Cannes Film Festival
DARKROOM
  • 75th Cannes Film Festival

    75th Cannes Film Festival

  • People in North Korea trapped in famine and pandemic

    People in North Korea trapped in famine and pandemic

  • 2022 Pulitzer Prize: Bearing witness to history

    2022 Pulitzer Prize: Bearing witness to history

  • Worsening drought puts millions at risk

    Worsening drought puts millions at risk

  • Our children deserve the best

    Our children deserve the best

The Korea Times
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
  • Location
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Service
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • Mobile Service
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Policy
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • 고충처리인
  • Youth Protection Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group