"Will an 18-Year-Old Lawmaker Be Born?"... Ruling and Opposition Parties Kick Off Lowering the Candidacy Age Limit

People Power Party Proposes Public Official Election Act as Party Policy
Likely to Launch Innovation Competition to Encourage Youth Participation Ahead of Next Year's Presidential Election

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Naju-seok and Park Joon-yi] The political sphere has officially begun efforts to lower the eligibility age for candidacy for members of the National Assembly and local government heads to 18 years and older. This move appears to be part of a political innovation competition aimed at encouraging youth participation in politics ahead of next year's presidential election.

On the 10th, Choo Kyung-ho, the senior deputy floor leader of the People Power Party, along with floor leaders Kang Min-guk and Lee Young, submitted a bill to the National Assembly Secretariat as the party's official stance to amend the Public Official Election Act, lowering the candidacy age from the current 25 to 18.

Prior to this, lawmakers Yong Hye-in of the Basic Income Party and Yoon Joon-byung of the Democratic Party of Korea had also introduced bills to lower the candidacy age in the Public Official Election Act.

Earlier, the day before, the ruling and opposition parties agreed to form a Special Committee on Political Reform in the National Assembly to discuss lowering the candidacy age. The framework and related legislation for discussing the age reduction have thus been prepared.

After submitting the bill, Senior Deputy Floor Leader Choo told reporters, "Since the leaders of both parties share a basic consensus, the issue of lowering the candidacy age is being reviewed progressively."

There is a certain level of consensus between the ruling and opposition parties on this issue. Analysts suggest that this is particularly in consideration of the voting preferences of the 20s and 30s age groups ahead of next year's presidential election.

The National Assembly Research Service stated, "Following the 21st general election, there were only 2 members under 30 and 13 members under 40, meaning that members in their 20s and 30s make up only 4.3% of the total assembly. Considering that voters under 40 account for 33.8% of all voters, the proportion of young members relative to young voters is very low." It further analyzed that, compared to foreign cases, youth political participation varies depending on the candidacy age.

Meanwhile, the Special Committee on Political Reform is also expected to discuss the revival of local party branches and the postal voting system for overseas Koreans. Regarding these issues, Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, have repeatedly expressed their intention to amend related laws.