The National Election Commission(NEC) said that it sent out a notice to the leaders of political parties, calling on them to refrain from engaging in overheated pre-election activity. It was a response to the concerns raised about such overheating, with the approaching first overseas voting slated for the 2012 National Assembly and Presidential elections. 

This move was prompted because there were some incidents, which could be seen as a breach of electoral law, during the explanatory sessions for overseas Koreans, held by legislators affiliated with political parties.

It is the first time that the NEC called on political parties to exercise restraint in matters related to overseas voting, demonstrating NEC’s firm determination to strongly handle any irregularities to secure fairness in overseas voting.

The NEC said in the notice that overseas voting, which will mark a watershed in the development of democracy, should be conducted in a fair and transparent manner, and it can be achieved only with the cooperation of the political circles. It also provided them with a few examples of violating political laws related to overseas voting to ensure the prevention of any political parties from engaging in unlawful activities. 

Meanwhile, the NEC has been contemplating devising measures to deal with election crimes committed overseas, in coordination with relevant institutions such as the Ministry of Justice. If necessary, it will submit the opinion regarding revision of relevant law to the National Assembly.

The NEC also showed examples of violating political laws concerning overseas voting, to help political parties avoid inadvertently contravening such laws.

The examples are based mainly on courts cases or regulations related to the Public Official Election Act, the Political Party Act, and previous experiences.

· Provide the participants with transportation, meals, money or goods, when holding a policy forum for overseas voters or a press conference,.

·Executives of political parties, while holding the meeting with overseas Koreans, ask support of overseas voters for specific political party or prospective candidates.

·Set up party’s branch or the association of party members abroad, or run an office for the administration of political party’s organization.

·Place photographs, political views, and career of prospective candidates or members of the National Assembly in publication outlets including newspapers, broadcasters, and magazines.

On the other hand, some activities permitted are as follows.

·Provide explanation about the policies related to overseas Koreans while holding a policy forum for overseas Koreans.

·Promote party’s policies or viewpoint about political issues in the printed materials and advertisement, without supporting, recommending, or objecting specific political parties or candidates running for public office(including those who intend to stand as candidates), or carry out activities to increase party membership (excluding door-to-door visit), outside the official election campaign period.

·National Assembly members, holding a press conference abroad, explain their policies and party platforms, or policies regarding overseas Koreans, or distributing press release.

·Political party members abroad voluntarily organize a grouping of political party members.

With regard to the 19^th National Assembly member elections slated for next year, the Overseas Voting Committee will be set up at every overseas mission starting from October 14, 2011. On April 1, overseas returning officers will be dispatched to 55 overseas missions in 28 countries. They will be in charge of the promotion of fair and transparent elections, the prevention of and law enforcement on electoral law violations, setting up and running the Overseas Voting Committee, and registration of overseas voters.