School 'Mock Elections' Not Allowed... Election Education Stumbles from the Start

Election Commission, "Review Needed for Election Management Led by Authorities, Not External Parties"
Confusion in Schools Three Months Before General Election

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] With the decision to grant voting rights to 18-year-olds corresponding to high school seniors, election education has officially begun in educational settings. However, due to the lack of clear guidelines and differing interpretations of legality among related organizations, confusion has arisen from the start.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on the 20th, following the revision of the election law, the Central Election Commission has put a brake on the 'Mock Election Project Learning' promoted by the education office, stating that "further review is necessary." The Election Commission explained, "Until now, mock elections conducted in schools were considered possible because they were organized by incorporated associations, but mock elections promoted at the education office level require additional discussion."

Previously, ahead of the 2018 local elections, the Korea YMCA and the incorporated association Jinggeomdari Education Community conducted mock elections at 17 middle and high schools in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Chungbuk, and Gwangju. At that time, these were carried out independently by frontline teachers for educational purposes, separate from the education office. The mock elections were conducted based on actual candidates running in the respective regions. Before the education, organizations like the YMCA inquired with the Election Commission about the legality, and the Commission responded that it was "possible" on the condition that the results of the mock elections would not be disclosed until the actual election results were announced. The mock elections were regarded as a type of public opinion poll.

Referring to this case, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education planned to conduct election education by selecting 40 elementary, middle, and high schools?the first among 17 city and provincial education offices nationwide?to hold mock elections at each school. The method and content were to remain the same as before. However, with the Election Commission presenting a different opinion this time, the education office is clearly taken aback. This is because the project has already been underway since December last year, with school selection and budget allocation completed.

A representative from the Democratic Citizenship Life Education Division of the Seoul Education Office stated, "The mock election project is entrusted to the YMCA and Jinggeomdari Education Community, so it is conducted by 'external organizations' as before," adding, "Even though the content is no different from previous mock elections, if the Election Commission's disapproval is confirmed, the policy implementation will inevitably be canceled."

Within the education field, there are criticisms that the government pushed forward the election education policy hastily without sufficient communication with the Election Commission, the main responsible agency. With less than three months remaining until the general election, there are concerns that if the mock elections, which have been promoted as the core of election education, are canceled, election education for this year will effectively be lost.

Kim Jin-gon, Secretary General of Siheung YMCA, pointed out, "At a time when various election education programs for youth are needed, the Election Commission seems to be bowing to political pressures." Kim said, "The purpose of mock elections is to allow students to freely debate and directly participate in elections, thereby fostering their awareness as democratic citizens and helping them learn and internalize the importance of suffrage," adding, "It is not right to frame this as ideological division confirming differences in party support between youth and older generations, as some suggest."