Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Member Kim Gyeong-ja Points Out Lack of Preparation in Education Sites for Expanding Voting Rights to 18-Year-Olds
Foundations Must Be Established to Enable High School Seniors to Exercise Meaningful Voting Rights
[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Chunsu] Kim Kyungja, a member of the Jeonnam Provincial Assembly, announced on the 19th that during the Jeollanam-do Office of Education's work report on the 18th, she inspected the educational environment in Jeonnam following the lowering of the voting age and urged the establishment of a foundation to enable voters in school uniforms to exercise meaningful voting rights.
Assembly member Kim Kyungja pointed out, "The lowering of the voting age to 18 is the result of relentless efforts by many citizens and activists, including youth, but the school field is not prepared for the upcoming April 15 National Assembly election," and added, "There are still many schools where high school student codes of conduct restrict students' party membership and political activities."
She then demanded, "A thorough investigation of student codes of conduct should be conducted to reflect the amendments to the election law, and election law guidebooks should be promptly distributed to dispel concerns about the 'politicization of classrooms' due to the expansion of voting rights and to minimize confusion in the educational field."
She also emphasized, "The democratic civic education curriculum should include content that fosters critical thinking and autonomous judgment on elections and diversity so that voters in school uniforms can exercise meaningful suffrage."
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Meanwhile, with the amendment of the Public Official Election Act at the end of last year, all citizens aged 18 and over are granted voting rights. Based on the voting day of the 21st National Assembly election held on April 15, the total number of student voters nationwide (born before April 16, 2002) is about 140,000, of which approximately 6,000 are estimated to be student voters in Jeonnam Province.
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