Kim Yong-deok Inaugurated as Chairperson of the 19th NEC

= Aims to achieve ‘beautiful elections’ through the fair and neutral management of the 19th Presidential Election = 

= Goal to establish advanced laws that ensure free competition between candidates based on citizen’s participation =

The National Election Commission (NEC) of the Republic of Korea held an inauguration ceremony after Kim Yong-deok was elected Chairperson by a vote of the full 19th election commission on September 6, 2016. 

In his inauguration speech, Kim Yong-deok said that he thought it was a great honor to become Chairperson of the NEC, which he considers the pillar of democratic progress in Korea, and he will fulfill his duties in a way that makes the Korean people and history proud of the NEC.

He also emphasized that the NEC should manage elections in a fair and neutral manner and that the 19th Presidential elections to be held next year should be ‘beautiful elections’ competing through campaign pledges based on a transparent electoral process and fair and impartial law enforcement.

Also, he stated that the NEC will soon establish a future-orientated legal system that guarantees participation by citizens and free competition between candidates through such measures as expanding democracy within political parties, enhancing policy functions and ensuring the transparency of political funds. 

In the speech he also said that the NEC should expand and pursue measures that efficiently implement civic education that will lead to a change in political culture so that it can be a foundation to further strengthen democracy.

Finally, he also called for the NEC to actively support everyday elections to reduce social conflict and he expressed the need for fair and aboveboard political competition and the creation of a political culture where candidates concede cleanly and accept election results.

Chairperson Kim Yong-deok announced that democracy should continue to be advanced in Korea and he will strive to achieve full democracy and provide a foothold for democracy to take a new leap forward. 

NEC Chairperson Kim Yong-deok Inauguration Speech

Esteemed NEC Commissioners and NEC staff, 

I am very proud to be able to work together with you at the National Election Commission, the center of our nation’s democratic advancement.

However, I also feel the heavy responsibility to fulfill the important missions invested by the Constitution and other laws and to meet the demands of our times. 

But together with Commissioners with such great character, knowledge and experience and with the NEC staff who have show great dedication, I am sure that I can fulfill these obligations given to me.

Esteemed Commissioners and staff!

The NEC has been performing the responsibilities given to it by the people during turbulent political times. 

As a result, the NEC has grown into a world-class election management body trusted by the people that leads the election system and political culture.

I think the foundation has been a fearless attitude towards change and a passion to finish the job until the end, as well as having the capacity to back up this passion. 

Fair and neutral election management is the rooting that supports our commission.

If these roots are not strong, all of democracy will shake.

Democracy is politics whose ownership is with people. The people exercise their sovereignty through elections. If the election is held in a way that does not reflect the will of the people then it is no longer democratic politics.  

And here is the reason that, however much we emphasize it, you can never overestimate fairness and neutrality.  

The 19th Presidential elections will be held in December next year, 30 years after the introduction of a directly-elected Presidential system.

This Presidential election should be more mature and beautiful election than any other elections in our history.

The election process should be transparent, the enforcement of law should be fair and impartial and, more than anything else, it should be possible for many citizens to participate. 

We should make this an election that is a competition of policies and that is chosen by policies, so that the people can have a hope. 

To fully prepare, I request that from now devote all your capacity to become a reliable and trustworthy election commission. 

Our task must also be to achieve reform of the system.

Public Official Election Act, Political Parties Act and the Political Funds Act are laws that realize in detail constitutional values.

We should achieve a legal system that guarantees free competition between candidates, based on sovereign people’s participation. 

Also, the operation of political parties should be democratic, the functions of policies should be strengthened and the flow of political funds should be transparent. 

We should achieve the creation of advanced legislation that is focused on the future by amending any unrealistic and unreasonable systems.

 This is not just the responsibility of an independent constitutional agency that manages elections, but it is also the duty invested in us by the people. 

On top of an advanced system, democratic consciousness is also crucial.

However good the system is, if a fully grown democratic consciousness is not nurtured together, democracy can only falter.

Our commission has a high level of expertise, which it has accumulated over a long period of time, and has a variety of educational programs. 

From this base we should actively looking to expand democratic civic education and implement effective measures. 

Continuous and systematic democratic civic education will lead to a change of political culture and lay an increasingly strong foundation for democracy.

We also need to pay close attention to everyday life elections. 

Diversification and polarization caused by the appearance of differences by ideology, class and generation are being expressed by various representative groups in the election process as well. 

I request that you strive to create an election culture where fair election management resolves societal conflicts, the election is held by the book and the results of the election are cleanly accepted. 

Commissioners and staff!

Advancement of democracy must go on in our country.

No matter how difficult the task is ahead of us, if we carry them out with our best wisdom and passion, our efforts will come to fruition. 

I will not avoid this mission and responsibility of our generation expected of me.

I will not hesitate to fulfill my duties in a way that I will not be ashamed in front of the people and history.

In addition, I will make an effort to create a pleasant work environment within the election commission where the staff work together and feel rewarded. 

The NEC family!

Let’s devote ourselves to achieving true democracy and providing a foothold for democracy to take a new leap forward. 

Thank you.

September 6, 2016

Kim Yong-deok

Chairperson of the National Election Commission of the Republic of Korea