Applications by those who are currently residing overseas or those who intend to vote while abroad for purpose of business will be accepted from July 22 for overseas voters and overseas absentees registration in preparation for the 18^th Presidential Election to be held on December 19.

According to the National Election Commission, overseas voting-related personnel on a 24 hour emergency roster are now ready to manage application process that will be carried out by 162 overseas missions without any trouble.

Applications for overseas voters and overseas absentees registration will be accepted for 91 days from July 22 to October 20. Overseas voting will be conducted for less than 6 days from December 5 to 10.

Korean nationals who hold permanent residence of foreign countries may apply for overseas voters registration unless they hold a resident registration card or have reported a domestic residence

Those who wish to apply for overseas voters registration shall visit an overseas mission in person where they are required to present Korean passports along with original copies of documents that prove their nationality. 

Korean nationals who hold a resident registration card or have reported a domestic residence including tourists, students and employees currently staying overseas may apply for overseas absentee voting if they are scheduled to depart from Korea before December 13, 2012, the start date of Absentee Voting Period and arrive in Korea after Election Day.

Those who wish to apply for overseas absentee voting shall submit applications to the head of Gu/Si/Gun Office that administers their resident registration places or domestic resident registration places. While overseas, they may submit applications to an overseas mission in person or by post.

Those who were registered to take part in overseas voting for the 19^th National Assembly election shall re-submit applications for voters registration to participate in overseas voting for the 18^th Presidential Election. However those who have obtained a foreign citizenship are no longer Korean nationals in accordance with the Nationality Act and shall not apply for overseas voters registration.

Detailed information on procedures/forms and how to fill in the forms of overseas voters and overseas absentees registration is available on the website http://ok.nec.go.kr.

The following are the activities the NEC has promoted to boost application by overseas Koreans:

▲   Advertising through overseas satellite broadcasting, overseas Korean broadcasting and Korean Newspaper

▲ Providing information through the overseas voting website

▲ Banner advertising through major internet portal sites

▲ Production /distribution of flyers, leaflets and posters for promoting overseas voting

▲ Advertising within the international airports and international flights

Advertising has been in place through various media.

Furthermore, in spite of difficult circumstances, 55 overseas voting officers dispatched to 55 overseas missions have been visiting heavily Korean-populated areas such as Korean schools, language schools and Korean grocery stores as well as religious groups and Korean companies to encourage overseas voting.

Meanwhile, on July 2, the NEC submitted to the National Assembly the following proposals for amendment of the Public Official Election Act that have yet to be reflected in legislation. These proposals were submitted as opinions were raised to point out the low participation rate had hindered guaranteeing voting rights of overseas Koreans, which is the purpose of introducing the overseas voting system.

▲    The permanent voters list shall be introduced in overseas voting to enable overseas voters to maintain their voting rights once they are registered, unless unqualified for some reason.

▲    Introduce the walk-around application system, where overseas mission staff members appointed by overseas returning officers make a tour of their jurisdiction to collect applications. 

▲    Spouses or lineal ascendants/descendants of overseas voters shall be allowed to submit applications by proxy.

▲    Overseas Voting Commission shall install and operate extra overseas voting places.

▲    Limited postal voting shall be introduced to enable deployed soldiers or overseas Koreans residing in countries where overseas missions are not installed to vote by mail.

According to the NEC, it may take time and be costly to enable overseas Koreans to participate in overseas voting, considering the existing system. Given that the outcomes of the upcoming Presidential Election will affect the politics in Korea for the next 5 years and have direct/indirect impact on overseas Korean’s lives, every overseas Korean entitled to vote, as one of Korean nationals, is requested to cast his/her ballot to eventually contribute to the development of democratic politics in his/her country.