South Korean policymakers are considering tightening the rights of foreigners to vote in local elections following concerns of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence.
On Dec. 6, Kweon Seong-dong, a member of the South Korean People Power Party, expressed concerns over CCP interference in elections in Australia and Canada which provoked diplomatic problems, fearing a similar situation could happen in South Korea.
“To maintain and operate a liberal democratic system, the electoral system must not be maliciously exploited,” Kweon wrote on his Facebook page. He is also a close associate of President Yun Seok-yeol.
Kweon put forward to congress on Dec. 5 an act entitled Mutualism Fair Election. The bill proposes to grant local election rights only to foreigners who have lived in South Korea for at least five years after obtaining permanent residence, and the home countries of these foreigners must grant the same election rights to South Koreans residing there….