Anti-China xenophobia spurs ROK proposal to restrict foreigners’ voting rights



Analysis Anti-China xenophobia spurs ROK proposal to restrict foreigners’ voting rights New bill reflects how fear of China is stirring up concerns about outside political influence in South Korea John LeeDecember 7, 2022 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Image: Pexels South Korea took a step toward stripping permanent residents of their voting rights this week, citing “significant” public concern over outside political influence. People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong, a close ally of President Yoon Suk-yeol, and 17 other party members proposed the Partial Amendment to the Public Office Election Bill, which aims to make it more difficult for long-term Chinese nationals to vote in South Korean local elections. Permanent residents in the country are eligible to vote for mayors, governors and local council members after 36 months in-country. But Kweon’s bill would increase this time to five © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. LATEST ANALYSIS 01South Korea’s won faces a new test as foreign bond buying loses momentum 02Trump’s Russian diesel deal may leave South Korea’s refining boom intact 03Trump’s Alaska LNG claim shows who really runs the US-South Korea alliance 04South Korea’s missile defense push raises new questions over wartime stocks 05South Korea bank hacks expose weak links beyond core financial systems 06Lee-Zelensky feud exposes South Korea’s widening Ukraine policy dilemma 07Lee Jae Myung’s ‘pacemaker’ strategy tests South Korea’s leverage with Trump 08Trump’s Korea investment victory lap masks safeguards Seoul still controls

Analysis

Anti-China xenophobia spurs ROK proposal to restrict foreigners’ voting rights

New bill reflects how fear of China is stirring up concerns about outside political influence in South Korea

John LeeDecember 7, 2022

Anti-China xenophobia spurs ROK proposal to restrict foreigners’ voting rights

South Korea took a step toward stripping permanent residents of their voting rights this week, citing “significant” public concern over outside political influence.

People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong, a close ally of President Yoon Suk-yeol, and 17 other party members proposed the Partial Amendment to the Public Office Election Bill, which aims to make it more difficult for long-term Chinese nationals to vote in South Korean local elections.

Permanent residents in the country are eligible to vote for mayors, governors and local council members after 36 months in-country. But Kweon’s bill would increase this time to five

LATEST ANALYSIS

01South Korea’s won faces a new test as foreign bond buying loses momentum
02Trump’s Russian diesel deal may leave South Korea’s refining boom intact
03Trump’s Alaska LNG claim shows who really runs the US-South Korea alliance
04South Korea’s missile defense push raises new questions over wartime stocks
05South Korea bank hacks expose weak links beyond core financial systems
06Lee-Zelensky feud exposes South Korea’s widening Ukraine policy dilemma
07Lee Jae Myung’s ‘pacemaker’ strategy tests South Korea’s leverage with Trump
08Trump’s Korea investment victory lap masks safeguards Seoul still controls

Anti-China xenophobia spurs ROK proposal to restrict foreigners’ voting rights

LATEST ANALYSIS

Similar Articles

About the Author

John Lee