The nation’s election watchdog said preliminary candidates who want to run in next year’s general elections can register from Tuesday until March 21.

The National Election Commission said the starting date for preliminary candidate registration has been set for Dec. 13, 120 days prior to the general elections scheduled for April 11, 2012.

Registered preliminary candidates allowed to run an election campaign through e-mails, mobile text messages and phone calls from Tuesday. They can hand out name cards with a sash on the streets and send out leaflets to a maximum of one-tenth of the total households in their electoral districts.

However, they are not allowed to use websites to promote themselves, run commercials on broadcasting channels or speak through loud speakers in public places until an official launch of the general elections campaign.

Observers expect new faces to join the race for votes from a public disappointed with established politics seen as placing party interests before the livelihoods of the people.

The April 11 general elections are also deemed a litmus test of public sentiment prior to the presidential election in December 2012. For the first time in two decades, Korea will elect both new lawmakers and a new president in the same year. In Korea, general and presidential elections take place every four and five years, respectively.

Currently, the ruling Grand National Party has a majority in the 299-member National Assembly with 169 seats, while the main opposition Democratic Party holds 87 seats, with the rest held by smaller parties or independents.

By Kim Yoon-mi (yoonmi@heraldcorp.com)