Over 86,040 Overseas Votes Cast at 90 Diplomatic Missions Despite COVID-19 Challenges

Government Issues 'National Address'
Voting to be Held Until the 6th... 86 Diplomatic Missions Suspend Election Operations
Only Half of Registered Overseas Voters Eligible to Vote

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, overseas voting to elect the 21st National Assembly members is being conducted at 96 polling stations in 90 diplomatic missions worldwide until the 6th. However, due to the spread of COVID-19, only about 86,000 registered voters, half of the total, have been given the opportunity to vote.

On the 2nd, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, and Minister of the Interior and Safety Jin Young announced in a "public statement" on the start day of the election campaign period that the number of overseas voters eligible to vote until the 6th has been reduced to 86,040, half of the total 171,959 registered voters. This is the result of the suspension of election affairs at 86 diplomatic missions in 51 countries worldwide.

Following the suspension of election affairs at one diplomatic mission in Wuhan, China on the 16th, 23 diplomatic missions including those in Italy, France, and Spain decided to suspend election affairs from the 26th of last month. Forty-one diplomatic missions in regions including the United States and Canada decided to suspend affairs on the 30th, and 15 diplomatic missions in regions including Russia and Turkey made similar decisions on the 31st. Six diplomatic missions, including those in Kazakhstan and Uganda, suspended election affairs the day before.

Polling is possible at 96 polling stations in 90 diplomatic missions until the 6th. In Japan, six additional polling stations were set up at four diplomatic missions. To vote overseas, voters must bring a passport and an identification card such as a resident registration card or foreigner registration card that can verify their identity through photo, name, and date of birth.

This decision by the National Election Commission was taken because it has become difficult to conduct normal elections due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the United States, Europe, and other regions. According to the Public Official Election Act, election affairs overseas can be suspended in cases of natural disasters, war, riots, or other unavoidable reasons.

The ministers explained, "This election is being held under the national crisis situation of COVID-19," adding, "Considering that governments of various countries have issued administrative orders such as movement restrictions, area lockdowns, and bans on gatherings, making it impossible for voters and election management personnel to move to polling stations, and that the election is being held in areas with severe infections, there is a high possibility of negative impacts on the safety and health of our overseas nationals."

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