The NEC, draw up bills to revise the law pertaining to politics

Broaden the scope of the freedom of political expressions for voters

= Be planned to submit the bill for amendment to the National Assembly in June after the discussion on revising the law regarding politics on May 8 =

The National Election Commission expressed its plan of submitting the bill for revision to the National Assembly in June to set voter oriented electoral environment, expand the freedom of election campaigns for the candidates and strengthening the transparency in election costs after reflecting public opinions via the discussions.

This bill for amendment is the result of profound discussions conducted several times at the entire commission meeting: it reflected the problems emerged in the last two big elections, Presidential Election and Election for the National Assembly, and gathered various opinions of parties, candidates, press and civil society on revision.

The NEC explained the meaning of the bill as follows:

First, it will provide a foundation for voters to lead the election practically by expanding the freedom of political expresses, opportunities of getting candidate''s information and scope of exercising the suffrage for voters who were passive in the electoral process in the past.

Second, it will allow election campaigns at all times even though there are still restrictions in terms of method. This will help acquire the equal opportunity between political novices and existing politicians expand the electioneering for the candidates within the scope of not obstructing the fairness during the election campaign period as well as unveil the election expenses within 48 hours to transform its system from ''regulation of methods'' to ''regulation of costs'' that advanced countries has applied.

Third, it will be a turning point of changing regulation-centered-electoral culture rooted for more than 60 years, which will form a basis of realizing the constitutional value of freedom in parties'' activities by guaranteeing activities of public relations of their platform and policy that were excessively restricted so far.

The NEC has a plan of holding a discussion on May 8 to gather experts'''' opinions of all walks of life on revising laws pertaining to politics. The entire commission meeting will finalize the bill after reflecting results of the discussion.

The key points of the bill to amend laws that the NEC pursues are as follows:

▣ Build voter oriented electoral environment by expanding the information accessibility about candidates, freedom of political expression of voters and Improving the conveniency of exercising voters'''' suffrage

❍ Expand the freedom of political expression for voters - Allow the electioneering that costs less money

- Allow ‘viral electioneering’, ‘Electioneering vie direct calls at all times (Except the election day)

- Ease regulations on prints, facilities or gatherings, not directly related to the election campaign

- Allow electioneering methods that are small items like sashes or attaching a signboard on candidate''''s home or vehicle during the election campaign period

- Abolish the online real-name policy of Public Official Election Act

❍ Enlarge the accessibility of information on candidates - Strengthen the voters'' right to know

- Send out the candidate''s information to each family for easy comparison of candidates'' personal/basic information and main election pledges

- Send out PR materials integrating traditional campaign bulletin and election manifesto along with candidates'''' informational materials

- Make a process of Internet disclosure on the objection against candidate''s career and related materials

- Allow ranking in announcing the review and results of policy manifesto conducted by journals, social organizations and so on

- Allow inside face-to-face policy debates with voters, candidates and pre-candidates

- Allow talks/ discussions of candidates organized by journals or civil groups at all times

    ❍ Improve conveniency in exercising voters'' right to vote

- Extend the closing time of early voting from 4pm to 6pm

- Allow online application for those qualified for residence voting

- Adopt a system of the overseas permanent voters list

- Allow an applications to register overseas voters online or by postal mail

- Additionally install the polling stations for overseas voters in dispatched troops'' barrack and additional places besides official residences

- Allow postal voting restrictedly to those countries that do not have an official residence

▣ Guarantee an opportunity of autonomously electioneering impartially by eliminating the entry barrier for political novices and strengthening the transparency in election cost while greatly enlarging creative and autonomous election campaigns

❍ Allow registration of pre-candidates at all times as well as election campaigns in a way that the pre-candidates perform by him/herself

❍ Relax regulations of electioneering for candidates to freely do election campaigns within the price limit of election cost except the methods that can cause discomfort of the public and high cost structure in the election

❍ Strengthen transparency in incomes and expenditures of election expenses

- Control the cost for electioneering by obligating candidates of opening information on election campaign

- Disclose the cash flow of election cost during the election campaign period within 48 hours on the internet homepage

▣ Guarantee the party''s general activities

❍ Allow PR activities of party''''s platform and policies during the election period

❍ Enhance a system to let a party autonomously manage the number of paid clerks within the allocated total volume of the national subsidy

▣ Realize public oriented election system

❍ To solve the problems of repeatedly paying the national subsidy, cut the relevant cost of election subsidy that is already paid from the sum of reimbursement of election expenses provided to parties

❍ Conduct talks or discussions hosted by National Election Broadcasting Debate Commission three times but the participants of the second and third discussions will be decided according to the survey results (In case of the third discussion, the participants will be the ranking No. 1 and No. 2 candidates in an approval rating)

▣ Renew the structure of public official election act for not only candidates participating elections but also the public to understand it easily