= Same candidate registration period for re and by-elections to be held together with the 21st National Assembly elections

Official campaign period begins April 2, before then preliminary candidates’ election campaign methods only permitted =

The National Election Commission (NEC) of the Republic of Korea said it will receive candidate registrations for the 21st National Assembly elections at the relevant election commission from 9 am to 6 pm on March 26 and 27.

The registration of candidates for the re and by-elections, which coincide with the National Assembly elections, will also take place during the same period.

To run as a candidate in National Assembly elections the person must be a Korean citizen 25 years of age or older as of election day and their right to be elected should not have been disqualified for any reason stipulated in the Public Official Election Act. 

A candidate for constituency member elections recommended by a party shall attach a recommendation letter that bears the seal of the relevant party and its representatives (candidates for proportional representation member elections should add a personal written consent) and an independent candidate shall attach a recommendation petition with signatures or seals of voters. 

Political parties that recommend candidates in proportional representation member elections should submit documents (such as minutes of meetings) to prove that candidates have been recommended in accordance with a democratic screening process and democratic voting process.

In addition, with the revision of Article 56 of the Public Official Election Act, the deposit for candidates for proportional representation member elections has been lowered to 5 million Korean won ($4,000 USD) from 15 million Korean won ($12,000 USD). Deposits for constituency members remain at 15 million Korean won. 

Even when a candidate has registered, full campaigning will only be possible from April 2, the date when the election campaign period begins. However, if registered as a candidate, they are considered as a registered preliminary candidate so they may conduct election campaigning allowed for preliminary candidates until the start of the election campaign period.   

The status of candidate registration will be published on the NEC election data system (http://info.nec.go.kr). Candidates'' property status, military service history, criminal record, academic background, tax history and public official election history will be published until election day. It is expected that it will be possible to see the election campaign material submitted by parties and candidates in one place on the policy and pledges information site (http://policy.nec.go.kr).