| A voter receives a ballot for early voting in the presidential election for Korean nationals abroad, at a polling booth installed at the Korean Embassy in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Wednesday. The six-day early voting period for Korean citizens abroad will run through next Monday. Yonhap |
By Jung Da-min
The 20th presidential election has kicked off, with the start of early voting for Korean nationals abroad.
According to the National Election Commission, 219 polling booths in 115 countries around the globe have been set up for the six-day early voting period from Wednesday until next Monday. A total of 226,162 voters have registered for early voting overseas.
The Korean Embassy in Ukraine, however, has withdrawn its plan for voting due to mounting tensions in the country.
The two leading candidates, Lee Jae-myung of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition conservative People Power Party (PPP), have promised to improve voters' rights in their last-minute campaigning for overseas voters.
Lee unveiled a five-point pledge on social media, Tuesday, including introducing a by-mail voting system for Korean nationals overseas to better guarantee that their votes are counted; establishing a separate government agency to deal with affairs related to Koreans abroad; and strengthening pandemic-related relief and support systems for them.
"Please vote for Lee Jae-myung, the No. 1 candidate in the election. The Republic of Korea will be stronger and take a bigger leap under my leadership. I promise that I will be a competent president handling the country's economic affairs well and leading the country to overcome the COVID-19 crisis to make it one of the top five global economies,” he said.
Rep. Kang Byung-won, the chief spokesman of Lee's election committee, said during a press briefing the same day: "The time has come for the country's great transition. We need to choose the right leader who will be able to overcome the country's crises of deepening economic polarization and to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula."
| Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), speaks while campaigning in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, Wednesday. Yonhap |
PPP candidate Yoon vowed to improve the rights of overseas Korean nationals if elected.
"The Republic of Korea is at a crossroads. Fairness and common sense have been lost in this society due to the DPK's corruption and incompetence, while difficulties to people's livelihoods remain unsolved," Yoon said in a Facebook post. "The PPP and I together will become agents of change and stand together for Koreans abroad."
PPP election committee spokesman Hwang Kyu-hwan appealed to voters abroad in a commentary the same day, by saying Yoon would be the right leader to solve the country's security crises that have worsened due to the increasing nuclear threats from North Korea.
"I understand that Koreans staying abroad are concerned about the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, especially the diplomatic and security situation. The PPP will realize a leadership change to make Korea safer and improve the country's security situation, so that Koreans abroad can also live in safer environments," Kang said.
| Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition conservative People Power Party, greets his supporters while campaigning at Mokpo Station square in South Jeolla Province, Wednesday. Joint Press Corps |
In the previous two presidential elections, 71.1 percent and 75.3 percent of Korean nationals overseas, respectively, turned out to cast their ballots. The overall turnouts were 75.8 percent and 77.2 percent, respectively.
It has become more difficult for Korean citizens abroad to register for voting in this year's presidential election, as many of Korea's diplomatic offices in different countries have halted election-related services due to the pandemic.
According to the NEC, about 11.51 percent, or 226,162 out of over 2 million voters residing abroad, have applied to cast their ballots. The percentage of Korean nationals overseas who registered to cast their ballots in the previous presidential election stood at 15.17 percent or 300,197 voters.