According to the National Election Commission, those who are not able to vote on December 19, Election Day may vote ahead of election day if they register as absentee voters from November 21 to 25.

Anyone seeking to register as an absentee voter shall fill in and submit a form to the head of Gu/Si/Gun or Eup/Myeon/Dong Government of his/her resident registration by November 25 at 6pm at the latest. A form may be submitted in person or by post (free of charge).

Absentee voting registration forms are available at Gu/Si/Gun or Eup/Myeon/Dong Offices nationwide or through the websites of the National Election Commission (http://www.nec.go.kr), Ministry of Public Administration and Security or Gu/Si/Gun Offices.

The Election Commissions are due to send out absentee ballot papers by December 10 to those who have registered as absentee voters. An absentee voter may vote at his/her nearest polling place in the nation for two days from December 13 to 14 as long as the envelope and the absentee ballot paper issued by the Election Commissions are presented.

It should be noted that the ballot papers marked at home or any other place by those who are supposed to vote at polling stations for absentee voters shall be regarded as invalid.

Absentee voting hours are 6am to 4pm.

Meanwhile, ▲ those serving in the military or the police who are stationed in remote barracks or on Navy vessels ▲ those who have been staying long in hospitals or nursing homes and are less mobile ▲ those who are disabled may vote from their home or other residential places if their situations are confirmed by the head of the corresponding organizations/facilities or the head of Tong/Ri/Ban.

In addition, the introduction of shipboard voting system will enable the crew on board ships with Korean flags or ships with foreign flags whose captains are Korean nationals to vote via FAX if they register as absentee voters.

The NEC plans to intensively control and bring a charge without exception against those who file a false registration on behalf of someone else or who steal ballot papers issued by the Election Commissions and vote by proxy.

In particular, the NEC’s policy is to take the following actions in pursuit of fairness in absentee voting at facilities for the disabled:

▲ Convey official documents to inform the representative of the facilities that proxy registration or voting is prohibited and provide education on procedures of absentee voting registration and how it should be done.

▲ Conduct an overall documentary examination of absentee voting registration forms.

▲ Strengthen enforcement action on absentee voting such as by assigning more than one personnel from the Election Commissions to facilities for the disabled where polling booths are installed to observe voting.

Meanwhile, those who file a false absentee voting registration shall be sentenced to imprisonment of less than 3 years or a fine of less than KRW 5 million. Also, those who vote by proxy or who make someone vote by proxy shall be sentenced to imprisonment of less than 5 years or a fine of less than KRW 10 million.

The NEC has kindly requested voters not able to vote on Election Day to cast their valuable votes by registering as absentee voters.