Known as ‘Political Reform Youth Action’, seven groups including the university division of YMCA and Min Snail Union gathered at the National Assembly and held a press conference, during which they called the age requirement for candidates to be lowered from 25 to 18, slamming the current age limit as a ‘violation of the constitution’. (Image: Yonhap)
SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — A group of South Korean youth organizations has issued a petition for voting reforms at the National Assembly, calling for the candidacy age requirements to be lowered.
Known as ‘Political Reform Youth Action’, seven groups including the university division of YMCA and Min Snail Union gathered at the National Assembly and held a press conference, during which they called the age requirement for candidates to be lowered from 25 to 18, slamming the current age limit as a ‘violation of the constitution’.
The group also announced it had submitted a legislative petition to allow more reflection on the voice of youth in the political party candidate recommendation process for proportional representation.
“To state that only those aged over 25 can run for election is in breach of equal opportunity stipulated in the constitution. The age limit should be lowered to 18 when people begin having a responsibility to work,” the youth group said.
The youth group also argued for a so called ‘youth quota system’ in the process of candidate recommendation under the country’s proportional representation system.
“Among eligible voters, those in their 20s and 30s account for over 30 percent, yet we rarely see young politicians in the National Assembly. It should be made a requirement to allot opportunities to young candidates,” the group said.
M.H.Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
