Ahn Cheol-soo Meets 18-Year-Old Voters, Says "We Should Consider Lowering the Voting Age Further"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Ahn Cheol-soo, the preparatory committee chairman of the People’s Party, stated on the 10th, "It is time to consider lowering the voting age specifically for elections such as the superintendent of education election so that students' opinions can be more reflected."

Chairman Ahn said at a meeting with 18-year-old voters held at a cafe in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, in the afternoon, "I have long advocated for lowering the voting age, and it has finally been realized."

He added, "Among the OECD countries, we rank last in granting voting rights to 18-year-olds," and said, "Although it feels belated, our people have the strength to accomplish anything in a short period, so I believe we can still demonstrate great potential."

Right after the meeting, Chairman Ahn told reporters, "Compared to when I was that age, they seem to think deeply and have many concerns," and said, "There were also comments about wanting to express opinions to political parties, so I realized that we should open it up more broadly?not just to those over 18, but also to 16- and 14-year-olds?and listen to the opinions of future generations."

During the meeting, concerns were raised such as "Although we have gained voting rights, it is not easy to take an interest in politics," and "If we are not interested in politics, we might vote for just anyone."

Chairman Ahn responded, "If you vote for just anyone because you are not interested, it ultimately benefits only those who manipulate images," and said, "You must participate properly and actively in voting to make politics pay attention to 18-year-old voters. That is the role of those present here."

He also said, "In Germany, there is a perception that when national debt increases and the environment is polluted, it ultimately becomes a burden on future generations, which is seen as intergenerational theft," and added, "When we buy items worth a few thousand won, we compare prices online. When voting, we must make a little more effort to choose the most suitable person."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.