Despite a significantly shortened registration period, overseas Koreans under the jurisdiction of the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles have shown strong participation in the upcoming presidential election, with registration numbers nearly matching the previous election.
Strong Overseas Voter Registration Despite Shortened Period
On April 25, the Los Angeles Overseas Election Commission (Chairman Jung Kwang-Sik) announced that 7,934 absentee voters and 471 overseas voters registered during the recently concluded ’21st Presidential Election Overseas Voter Registration’ process. Combined with the 2,130 voters already listed on the permanent register from the previous election, a total of 10,535 voters in the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles Consulate General—covering Southern California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Arizona—are eligible to vote in this election.
Due to the nature of this by-election following the presidential impeachment, the voter registration period was compressed to just 20 days, compared to the usual 90 days. Although there were concerns about low participation, registration remained robust. The 10,535 registered voters represent 98% of the 10,792 voters who registered for the 20th presidential election.
Overseas Voter Registration Rises Nationwide
According to the National Election Commission (Chairman Noh Tae-Ak), the total number of registered overseas voters reached 259,718, an increase from 226,162 recorded during the 20th presidential election.
Overseas election commissions at diplomatic missions, including the Los Angeles Consulate General, have begun preparations for the overseas voting period scheduled from May 20 to May 25.
Overseas Voting Preparation Timeline
The overseas voter list will be finalized by May 4. In Korea, registration for presidential candidates by each political party is scheduled to be completed from May 10 to May 11. On May 14, the overseas election commissions will announce the locations and operating periods of up to four overseas polling stations per diplomatic mission. Voting hours will generally be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., although times may vary by location.
The Los Angeles Overseas Election Commission stated that it will hold a second meeting on May 2 to finalize three additional polling stations beyond the consulate site. The consulate polling station will operate for six days from May 20 to May 25, while the three additional polling stations will operate for three days from May 22 to May 24, each from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Additional polling locations will be determined based on the number of registered voters and distance from the consulate.
Criticism Over Overseas Election Regulations
Meanwhile, criticism has emerged that the National Election Commission’s strict regulatory approach to managing overseas elections could hinder voter participation.
According to the Public Official Election Act, printed materials supporting or opposing specific parties or candidates—including newspaper ads, flyers, and promotional pamphlets—are strictly prohibited overseas. Activities supporting candidates or parties under the name of a specific organization or representative are also banned. Korean political parties and candidates are barred from conducting election campaigns targeting overseas voters through printed media.
There is also controversy regarding whether election inspectors dispatched to overseas missions, who emphasize compliance with Korean election law and oversee crime prevention efforts, may infringe on the sovereignty of host countries.
BY HYOUNGJAE KIM [kim.ian@koreadaily.com]
