The NEC held a meeting on the matter of a residents’ referendum on free school lunches of Seoul City, with the presence of senior officials of the NEC and Seoul Election Commission on June 21.

The NEC declared its commitment to managing the residents’ referendum fairly. The measures decided at the meeting are as follows:

∙ Set up and operate the team in charge of residents’ referendum at 25 Gu Election Commissions under the Seoul Election Commission;

∙ Provide the workshop for all Seoul Election Commission officials;

∙ Set up the team in charge of preparing explanatory session and debate forum on the issue of residents’ referendum, that would be hosted by the Seoul Election Commission; and

∙ Set up the special investigation unit for preventing, monitoring and conducting law-enforcement on violation of the Residents’ Voting Act.

In particular, as campaign activities before the official campaign period have been prohibited, after Seoul mayor’s proclamation of having called the residents’ referendum, more violations of the Residents’ Voting Act are likely to take place. So the NEC decided to reinforce its activities to provide guidance about the Residents’ Voting Act to political parties, local governments, and civic organizations. And it will also run intensive monitoring and law-enforcing activities on campaign activities before the official campaign period. It will be carried out by about 120 officials, who will belong to 4 special investigation units, and teams at each of 25 Gu Election Commissions.  

The NEC will in particular watch out activities such as:

∙ The head of local government gives subjective information, in violation of Article 4 of the Residents’ Voting Act, which prescribes that information should be objectively provided;

∙ Public officials, with the intention to induce support to certain direction, provide biased information;

∙ Public officials show support or opposition opinions on the proposal put to the residents’ referendum, which is considered to constitute campaign activities;

∙ Local governments have their officials run door-to-door campaign to encourage the residents to cast their ballots;

∙ Induce support or opposition to the proposal when campaign activities before the official campaign period are prohibited;

∙ Conduct public a survey, which is considered to constitute campaign activities; and

∙ Distribute falsified information with the intention to influence the results of the residents’ referendum

The NEC said that it would take every necessary measure to fairly conduct the residents’ referendum. It also told that any inquiry regarding the violation of the Residents’ Voting Act, and report of such violation can be made by calling the NEC’s nationwide call line number 1390.