SEOUL, April 18 (Korea Bizwire) — As a new proportional representation system, introduced for Wednesday’s parliamentary elections, failed to fulfill its purpose, newly-elected lawmakers are now expected to address the problem during their four-year term that begins in early June. The mixed-member proportional representation system was introduced under an electoral reform bill that passed the [...]
SEOUL, April 18 (Korea Bizwire) — Tens of thousands of South Koreans have signed a petition calling for the mandatory construction of residential flats for North Korean defectors in the ritzy district of Gangnam, southern Seoul, following a high-profile defector’s election in the constituency. In apparent derision of the Gangnam residents who elected Tae Ku-min [...]
SEOUL, April 16 (Korea Bizwire) — The ruling party’s overwhelming parliamentary election victory is expected to provide fresh momentum to President Moon Jae-in’s policy drive during the remainder of his tenure. In one of the world’s first nationwide elections held amid the coronavirus pandemic, South Koreans awarded a majority of seats to the Democratic Party [...]
SEOUL, April 16 (Korea Bizwire) – A high-profile North Korean defector won a constituency seat in this week’s general elections, becoming the first person hailing from the communist nation to be chosen directly by South Korean voters as their representative. Thae Yong-ho, a former No. 2 diplomat at North Korea’s Embassy in London, was elected to the [...]
SEOUL, April 15 (Korea Bizwire) — Voter turnout for South Korea’s parliamentary elections Wednesday soared to 66.2 percent, the highest point in 28 years, according to a tentative figure released by the state election body. It came amid the country’s monthslong fight against the coronavirus, which has triggered a sense of health and quarantine crises [...]
SEOUL, April 15 (Korea Bizwire) — New 18-year-old voters cast their ballots in a general election for the first time on Wednesday amid concerns that the coronavirus may affect the turnout of the new voters. In late 2019, the National Assembly passed an electoral reform bill lowering the voting age from 19 to 18 and [...]
SEOUL, April 15 (Korea Bizwire) — Armed with face masks and plastic gloves, South Koreans voted for a new National Assembly on Wednesday under strict coronavirus quarantine procedures, such as temperature taking, sanitizing hands and distancing from each other in lines. South Korea is the first major country to hold nationwide elections since the coronavirus [...]
SEOUL, April 13 (Korea Bizwire) — Shin Hyeon-jung, a 35-year-old office worker, has refrained from meeting friends or having gatherings for months to practice social distancing to fight against the new coronavirus. But the virus scare will not prevent her from casting a ballot in this week’ parliamentary elections as she believes quarantine measures to [...]
SEOUL, April 11 (Korea Bizwire) – Voter turnout in early voting of next week’s parliamentary elections reached a record high Saturday, the election watchdog said, as people cast ballots in advance to avoid crowds amid fears over the new coronavirus. South Korea is scheduled to hold the quadrennial parliamentary polls Wednesday to elect the 300-seat [...]
SEOUL, April 10 (Korea Bizwire) — Voters wearing face masks and disposable gloves cast their ballots on Friday, with a number of people queuing in front of polling places near their offices at lunchtime. Having successfully slowed the spread of coronavirus infections recently, South Korea has gone ahead with the quadrennial elections, slated for next [...]