20th National Assembly Elections’ Candidate Registration Closed, Average of 3.7 Candidates per Seat

Average number of candidates for re- and by-elections for heads of local governments 3.5 per seat, elections for Si/Do councils 2.8 per seat, and local councils 2.7 per seat

The deadline for candidate registration for the 20th National Assembly elections to be held on April 13 has passed. 944 candidates have registered for elections for constituency members of the National Assembly, averaging 3.7 candidates per seat, while 21 parties have registered a total of 158 candidates for elections for proportional representation members. 

In the re- and by-elections held together with these nationwide elections, there are 28 registered candidates for elections for the heads of local governments taking part in 8 precincts, 48 candidates for elections for Si/Do councils taking part in 17 precincts, and 71 candidates for elections for local councils taking part in 26 precincts. 

In these National Assembly elections, Saenuri Party candidate Lee gun-hyeon in Goseong-gun constituency in Tongyeong-Si and in the Si/Do local government election, Kim Ji-sik in the 3rd constituency of Goomi-Si were both the only candidate registered in the constituency and therefore there will be no election. 

Until now, there have been a total of 28 candidates who have entered the National Assembly with no election. This included 13 candidates in the 1st elections in 1948, nine candidates in the 4th elections in 1958, four candidates in the 9th elections held in 1973 and two candidates in the 11th elections held in 1981. 

It will be possible to check information about the candidates for this election on the National Election Commission website (www.nec.go.kr) until election day. This includes information such as their property details, military service records, tax records from the last five years (including income tax, property tax and real estate tax), any criminal records, documentation on any previous registrations for elections for public officials and education.

Candidates’ campaign posters will be displayed from April 1, and the candidates’ material will be sent to ever household via post by April 3 together with information on voting. 

The campaign period is for 12 days beginning from March 31 until the day before election day, and during that period voters can lawfully take part in campaigning in a way prescribed in the Public Official Election Act.

Early voting takes place on April 8 and 9 from 6am to 6pm, where voters can vote in any of the 3,511 early voting stations across the country without prior registration. Also, voting takes place on election day from 6am until 6pm.  

Overall Number of Candidates