= He says “Local elections are a festival of democracy in order to make a happy neighborhood” and “together, you must make the effort to make democracy flourish in your daily lives.” =

Kwon Soon-il, the Chairperson of the National Election Commission (NEC) of the Republic of Korea, gave a speech on March 31 at the NEC head office in Gwacheon regarding the realization of ‘beautiful elections’ ahead of the 7th nationwide simultaneous local elections to be held on June 13.

This announcement emphasizes the significance of local elections as the registration period for preliminary candidates for all elections is now open and explained how to manage this election successfully. 

Chairperson Kwon Soon-il said that this local election will be a festival of democracy in order to make a happy neighborhood and said that the NEC is fully prepared to manage the election, which should reflect the will of the people.

The main content of his speech was as follows:

• This election greatly affects our families, neighbors and our neighborhoods so is a major opportunity to establish politics within our daily lives.

• The NEC will expand the election service so that voters can easily and conveniently find out who the candidates are and what their policies and pledges are, and will disclose the entire process of election management transparently.

• The NEC will do its best to protect suffrage by making sure that those who are inconvenienced do not have difficulty in participating in voting by ensuring that workers are given time to cast their ballot during working hours.  

• The NEC will take decisive action against election crimes such as fake news, slander, bribery, or intervention by public officials that obstruct the idea of a beautiful election.

• Political parties and candidates should comply with election law and strive to achieve an election in which they compete fairly with the focus on their policies and pledges, and all public officials are requested to firmly establish a neutral attitude.

• The NEC urges the people to carefully inquire into and select the people who can serve the Korean people with their true heart and mind.

• The NEC hopes that the people’s high political consciousness and participation in the last presidential election will follow into the local elections so that we can work together to make democracy a bloom in our lives.