NEC to Hold 2022 Seoul International Forum on Elections

= Discussion on Reacting to the Development of Digital Technology and Expanding Youth Participation =

The National Election Commission (NEC) of the Republic of Korea announced it will host the Seoul International Forum on Elections (SIFE) online on November 10 from 3 p.m. at the NEC Secretariat Office in Gwacheon.

SIFE, which began in 2015 and marks its eighth edition this year, is an international forum held annually by the NEC to discuss democracy and elections, inviting officials from world election bodies and international organizations.

Rho Tae-ak, the Chairperson of the NEC, will deliver opening remarks, and Australian Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Catherine Raper, New Zealand Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Philip Turner, and Acting Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in the Republic of Korea Andrew Herrup will deliver congratulatory remarks, while about 100 election officials and experts will be participating through the form of a webinar.

The forum is composed of two sessions under the theme ‘Democracy, Responding to the Changing Environment.'

Session one, ‘How to React to Election Environment Changes Caused by the Development of Digital Technology,' looks into the aspects of election environment changes caused by the 4th Industrial Revolution and discusses ways to provide election services that can assure free and fair elections.

Session two, ‘Challenges in Expanding Youth Participation in Politics,' examines the reality of youth politics in Korea and discusses the roles of election management bodies in fostering youth politics.

The NEC said it “hopes to have an opportunity to seek a desirable direction for the development of democracy by looking into challenges and roles of election management bodies reacting to the election environment changes that we face through this forum.”

The forum will be broadcast live through the official NEC YouTube and Twitter channels.

Live broadcast: YouTube – https://youtu.be/uhrLCD-96dE

                     Twitter – https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1mnGeRDypLEJX

Attachment: Program of the 2022 Seoul International Forum on Elections