Election management officials report that some 90,000 Korean residents overseas have registered with Korean missions abroad during the past three months to participate in the April 11 National Assembly election as absentee voters. They account for about 4 percent of the total 2,233,000 Koreans living outside the country who still have their Korean citizenship.
The registration rate is lowest in the Americas where the overwhelming majority are permanent emigrants. In the Middle East, where most Koreans are staying temporarily, the rate is higher. The low rates of registration are attributed to the difficulties of having to go to the Korean embassies or consular offices to submit the forms and to visit there again to cast vote, but they also indicate generally low interest of the overseas Koreans in the parliamentary elections at home. Officials expect much higher participation in the presidential vote in December.
The recognition of voting rights for overseas Koreans including emigrants was made on a Constitutional Court ruling made on petitions from some overseas residents. But, particularly with regard to the emigrants, we still have doubts about the desirability of giving them the right to vote in elections in the home country while they are released from the duties of paying tax and serving in the military.
Universal suffrage for all Korean citizens whether in the country or outside may be constitutionally correct, yet it is of little meaning and practical importance to keep overseas residents politically tied to their home country instead of the place they chose to live in. We know that it is the result of collaboration between some overseas Koreans who are excessively interested in politics in their native country and those politicians who saw a new basket of votes in the Korean enclaves in the United States and Japan.
Now that the new system is in place, the government should seek to improve the procedure by providing more convenience to eligible voters such as allowing postal votes. Yet, in the long run, it is recommended that the system be amended to exclude Koreans who emigrated to foreign countries regardless whether they retain Korean citizenship or not.
The low rate of registration, meanwhile, could be good news, as it indicates that the confrontational politics at home has yet to grip the Korean communities overseas. Still, we are afraid things may change as they approach the presidential vote in December.
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
