As President Lee Jae-myung emphasized the need to address the voting rights of overseas citizens, the Overseas Koreans Agency stated that practical measures, such as mail voting, should be implemented due to the challenges faced by overseas citizens, including travel distances. It is estimated that about 200,000 of the 7 million overseas Koreans hold South Korean citizenship and have voting rights.
On September 3, Kim Kyung-hyup, head of the Overseas Koreans Agency, spoke with reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jongno, Seoul, stating, "The voting rights of overseas Koreans should not only be legally guaranteed but also practically ensured."
He added, "We need to actively consider the introduction of mail and electronic voting to help overseas citizens who face difficulties traveling hundreds to thousands of kilometers by train or plane to vote, allowing them to exercise their voting rights more securely."
Kim noted that relevant legislation is currently pending in the National Assembly, and the special committee on political reform that convened before the June 3 local elections has begun discussions on this matter.
He also mentioned, "We need to reach a conclusion on the amendment to the Public Official Election Act within this year. Considering that the Election Commission will need to establish a system and conduct testing next year, it is likely to take about a year, which means it could be applicable from the 2028 general elections."
Additionally, he pointed out that domestic absentee voting is already conducted via mail, and that overseas fishermen can vote by fax from their vessels. He argued that if the absentee voting framework is applied to overseas citizens, mail and electronic voting could also be introduced.
Furthermore, he highlighted that political parties are already selecting official candidates through mobile voting for electronic voting. "Given that mobile blockchain technology is being developed, there are no technical issues. If there are concerns about stability, can each party implement it?" he urged the National Assembly to make a decision.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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