The National Election Commission held a meeting for the “6^th Nationwide Local Elections” attended by executives of the NEC and Si/Do Election Commission where the written instructions for the perfect conduct of the elections were handed out.

The following was discussed in the meeting:

  The first open recruitment of counting assistants in the electoral history to encourage the public participation in elections and provide more election-related services;

  Publicizing policies and platforms of political parties and candidates 30 days before Election Day;

  Strict regulation of 4 major election offences including illegal surveys on elections, illegal interference by public officials, bribery in relation to candidate nomination and resignation, forming illegal election campaign organizations, etc.; and

  Making special plans to perfectly manage early voting to be held for the first time nationwide.

Major tasks to be dealt with for the 6^th Nationwide Local Elections:

Increased public participation, opening to the public and sharing with the public to achieve voter-oriented elections

§   Counting assistants to be recruited openly

To increase the reliability of the counting management as well as the public participation in the election management, the NEC is going to openly recruit about 25% of the total number of counting assistants, who will directly get involved in the counting process at the counting places.

§   Voting and counting processes to be livestreamed

To enhance understanding of the electoral process and transparency of the voting/counting management, the NEC is going to livestream the entire process of voting and counting, including the voting progress, the delivery of ballot boxes, the counting progress, etc. at more than one voting/counting place in each of 17 Si/Dos.

§   Minimum change in the location of polling places and “Find My Polling Place” service to be provided

The previously used polling places will remain in use to help voters to easily find polling stations, whose locations will also go on the voting guide to be sent out to each household. Meanwhile, the “Find My Polling Place” service will be provided through the websites of the NEC and local governments and major portal sites.

§   Policies and platforms of political parties and candidates to be publicized 30 days before Election Day

10 major policies of each political party and 5 major platforms of each candidate for the head of Si/Do and Gu/Si/Gun will be made public through the website http://party.nec.go.kr/ 30 days before Election Day to lay the groundwork for K-Manifesto and policy-oriented elections. The NEC is going to collect platforms the public ask candidates for and present them to political parties and candidates.

Encourage participation by the vulnerable social groups in terms of vote participation

§   Increased convenience for disabled voters

The NEC is going to examine with the Association of the Handicapped passages and temporary ramps installed at polling stations. In the case polling booths are not installed on the ground level, temporary polling booths will be established on the ground level.

§   Political rights of disabled voters to be guaranteed

Sign language interpretation will be provided for hearing-impaired voters during TV commercials produced by the NEC in pursuit of fair election. Subtitles will be produced for easy understanding of the contents also in harmony with pictures. Vision-impaired voters can be provided with information on the location of polling places via phone while braille election pamphlets, voice voting guide, supplementary devices for voting, etc. are provided.

§   Voters residing in remote areas without easy access to public transportation and the disabled voters can be provided with vehicles traveling from/to polling places.

§   More election-related information to be provided for multicultural families

Perfect management of early voting to be held nationwide for the first time

§   Early voting: Any voter not able to vote on Election Day (June 4) for an unavoidable reason may cast a vote on May 30 and 31 from anywhere in the nation where early voting places are established.

Intensive PR activities for early voting

Demonstration will be conducted across the nation for voters, political parties and candidates to encourage the national interest and participation in early voting. The NEC is to intensify efforts on PR activities to enhance the public understanding of the background of early voting being introduced, relevant procedures, etc.

Successful management of early voting through meticulous preparations

The NEC is going to ensure that early voting is successfully done through meticulous preparations such as early voting places to be secured, nationwide simulation tests to be conducted, staff to be trained on the operation of early voting equipment, the security system for communication network to be established, fallbacks in case of equipment failure, etc.  

Increased transparency of political funds and accuracy of election spending

§   Encourage voluntary disclosure of incomes and expenditures of election campaign funds

The ‘System for Disclosing Political Funds Information’ has been established on the NEC website to enable candidates to voluntarily publicize election spending. The information made public will be archived without any verification process unless there is an objection or counter-evidence against it.

§   Prevent false applications for the reimbursement of election expenses

Political parties and candidates are obliged to submit objective documents such as photos to prove whether or not the spending has actually occurred, along with documentary evidences including receipts, agreements, etc. upon the application for the reimbursement of election spending.