The National Election Commission (NEC) of the Republic of Korea successfully conducted the International Election Observation Program from May 30 to June 4, 2026, in conjunction with the 9th Nationwide Simultaneous Local Elections.

The program brought together 31 election officials from 11 countries, including Nigeria and Ecuador, as part of the NEC's ongoing efforts to share Korea's election management experience with election management bodies from transitional democracies through its Official Development Assistance (ODA) initiative.

Throughout the program, participants observed key stages of the electoral process, including voting and counting, by visiting early voting stations, polling stations, and counting centers in the Seoul metropolitan area. They also observed election campaigns to gain a comprehensive understanding of Korea's electoral process.

In addition to field observations, the delegation visited the NEC and the Korean Civic Education Institute for Democracy (KOCEI), where they received briefings on Korea's election management system, the administration of the local elections, and the role of the NEC in safeguarding free and fair elections.

The program concluded with a review session, during which participants shared their observations and exchanged views on election administration and electoral practices in their respective countries.

Since 2014, the NEC has organized the International Election Observation Program in conjunction with regularly scheduled public elections to provide election officials from transitional democracies with opportunities to learn from Korea's electoral experience. The NEC expects the program to further strengthen international cooperation among election management bodies while contributing to the promotion of democratic elections worldwide.