Latest news with #SouthKoreanDemocraticParty
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Early voting starts for South Korea election triggered by martial law
South Korean Democratic Party's presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung and young people cast their early votes for the June 3 presidential election at a polling station in Seoul (Image credit: AP) Early voting in South Korea's presidential elections began on Thursday, with both main candidates casting ballots in a poll triggered by ex-leader Yoon Suk Yeol's ill-fated suspension of civilian rule last year. South Koreans are desperate to draw a line under months of political turmoil sparked by Yoon's declaration of martial law, for which he was impeached. Since then the Asian democracy has been led by a revolving door of lame duck acting presidents as its export-driven economy grapples with trade turmoil abroad and sluggish demand at home. All major polls have placed liberal Lee Jae-myung as the clear frontrunner in the presidential race, with a recent Gallup survey showing 49 per cent of respondents viewed him as the best candidate. Trailing behind him is conservative ex-labour minister Kim Moon-soo of the ruling People Power Party -- Yoon's former party -- at 35 per cent. While election day is set for June 3, those who want to vote early can do so on Thursday and Friday. South Koreans have in recent years turned out in growing numbers for early voting, with 37 per cent casting their ballots ahead of polling day in the 2022 presidential election . By midday the early voting turnout rate was 8.7 per cent, the highest yet for that time in South Korean election history, according to Seoul's National Election Commission. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The overseas voter turnout also reached a historic high, with four-fifths of 1.97 million eligible voters casting their ballots. "Given that this election was held in the wake of an impeachment and a martial law crisis, it naturally reflects the public's strong desire to express their thoughts about democracy in South Korea," Kang Joo-hyun, a political science professor at Sookmyung Women's University, told AFP. Vote more powerful than a bullet: Voting in Seoul on Thursday morning, Lee told reporters: "There's a saying that a vote is more powerful than a bullet." "Even an insurrection can only truly be overcome through the people's participation at the ballot box," added Lee of the Democratic Party. According to a Gallup poll, more than half of his supporters said they planned to vote early, compared to just 16 per cent of Kim's supporters. Kim has said he will cast his vote in Incheon, west of Seoul, with his campaign framing it as "the beginning of a dramatic turnaround", a nod to General Douglas MacArthur's landing there during the Korean War. Kim's decision to vote early has surprised many on the right, where conspiracy theories about electoral fraud -- particularly during early voting -- are rife. The 73-year-old however reassured his supporters that there is "nothing to worry about." "If you hesitate to vote early and end up missing the main election, it would be a major loss," said Kim on Wednesday. "Our party will mobilise all its resources to ensure strict monitoring and oversight of early voting," he said. "So please don't worry and take part in it," he said. After early voting, Kim insisted he still has time to win the race. "We're closing the gap quickly, and at this pace, I'm confident we'll take the lead soon," he told reporters. Conservative candidate Kim shot to public attention in the aftermath of Yoon's martial law debacle, when he declined to bow in apology to the public for failing to prevent the suspension of civilian rule. In contrast, lawyer-turned-politician Lee played a central role in stopping the push to suspect civilian rule, live-streaming his frantic drive to parliament and his scramble over the perimeter fence as he and other lawmakers raced to vote down the decree. He has since vowed to "bring insurrection elements to justice" if elected president. But whoever succeeds Yoon will have to grapple with a deepening economic downturn, some of the world's lowest birth rates and a soaring cost of living. He will also have to navigate a mounting superpower standoff between the United States, Seoul's traditional security guarantor, and China, its largest trade partner.
Hans India
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
South Korea: DP's Lee proposes amending Constitution for two four-year presidential terms
South Korean Democratic Party (DP) presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung on Sunday proposed an amendment to the nation's Constitution that would allow a president to serve two four-year terms. The proposal is expected to help reduce presidential powers because a president could be judged by voters when the first four-year term is over, Lee said in a Facebook posting. "By introducing the double-term presidency, a president's responsibility will be strengthened" because of mid-term elections, Lee said. Lee, who has kept a solid lead in opinion polls for the June 3 election, called for the National Assembly to form a special committee for the discussions for the proposed amendment, Yonhap news agency reported. South Korea's single, five-year term presidency was established in an amendment to the Constitution in 1987. Lee proposed a referendum on the amendment during the local elections next year or the general elections in 2028. He also called for introducing a runoff system for presidential elections to "minimise unnecessary social conflict," as well as requiring parliamentary recommendation when appointing prime ministers and parliamentary approval for heads of government agencies. In addition, Lee called for limiting presidential veto powers and making it necessary for the president to seek parliamentary consent when he or she seeks to declare martial law. "Even in an emergency, if it does not get parliamentary approval within 24 hours, it should automatically lose its effect," he said. After attending a ceremony marking the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising, Lee told reporters the proposed constitutional amendment for the two-term presidency would not apply to the sitting president. "Our Constitution outlines that a constitutional amendment does not apply to the sitting president," Lee said. "If (the amendment) takes place right after the local elections, it would fit perfectly. "The issue of terms for the country's final decision maker must be considered carefully," he said. "What is more important than the constitutional amendment is stabilising the country and recovering the people's livelihoods, and it would be most rational to conduct the amendment along with the next local elections." Lee said that constitutional amendments cannot take place unilaterally and called for focusing on areas where a compromise can be reached rather than simply pushing for an all-out revision.
