Koreans Residing in Foreign Countries Cannot Vote

Social Affairs

Published: 04 Jan. 2003, 17:52

Koreans Residing in Foreign Countries Cannot Vote

Koreans officially residing in foreign countries including Korean-Japanese cannot vote in elections while living abroad, the Constitution Jurisdiction Court judged on January 29.
It denied the suit launched by eight Korean-Japanese that sought the right to vote in Korean elections. The Court stated in its ruling, 'It is unfair to endow voting rights to outside Koreans who do not fulfill their duties as Korean citizens such as paying taxes. It is potentially dangerous in the currently divided Korean situation and in light of this North Koreans and pro-North Korean-Japanese cannot vote in Korean elections.'
The eight people filed their lawsuit for equal voting rights in August 1997.