청 "Local Election Voting Rights for Foreign Permanent Residents, Realization of Democratic Universality"

Response to Petition on Revoking Local Election Voting Rights for Chinese Permanent Residents... "New Zealand and Hungary Also Grant Voting Rights to Permanent Residents"

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] On the 27th, the Blue House stated that the exercise of voting rights by foreigners is to realize the universality of democracy, in response to a petition to revoke voting rights in local elections for Chinese permanent residents.

Kang Jeong-su, head of the Blue House Digital Communication Center, said, "This petition has been supported by 215,646 citizens over the course of a month," adding, "Whether to grant voting rights as raised by the petitioner is a matter for the National Assembly to amend the law."

Previously, in August 2005, the National Assembly amended the Public Official Election Act. From the 4th nationwide simultaneous local elections in 2006, based on Article 15 of the Public Official Election Act and Article 10 of the Immigration Control Act, foreign residents who have held permanent residency for more than three years were granted voting rights in elections for local government heads and local council members.

On the 15th, the ballot boxes arrived at the counting center set up at the Multipurpose Badminton Gymnasium in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, where the 21st National Assembly elections were held. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Center head Kang stated, "This allows foreigners who meet certain requirements and form part of the residents in local communities, which are resident communities, to exercise voting rights in local elections that elect representatives of local governments," adding, "The purpose is to realize the universality of democracy by enabling them, as local residents, to participate in the basic political decision-making processes of the local community."

Kang also added, "Countries such as New Zealand and Hungary also grant voting rights to permanent residents, and Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Finland grant not only voting rights but also eligibility for election to foreign permanent residents."

Furthermore, Kang said, "The voting rights of permanent residents are based on the concept of 'residents' and are limited to local elections, with permanent residents accounting for 0.25% of the total electorate," adding, "Currently, about 80% of permanent residents are 'overseas compatriots with foreign nationality' and 'spouses and children of Korean nationals.'"