= Independent candidates must receive recommendations from between 300 and 500 eligible voters who are registered in the relevant constituency =

The National Election Commission (NEC) of the Republic of Korea said that those who wish to run as an independent candidate in elections for constituency members of the National Assembly should receive recommendations from between 300 and 500 eligible voters who are registered in the relevant constituency and should submit the petition as an attachment to their candidate registration.  

Those who wish to be recommended by their constituents should use petitions which will be approved and issued by the election commission of the relevant constituency from March 21 to 27 and recommendations can be issued from 9 am to 6 pm, even during holidays.

The recommendations do not need to be received by the candidate themselves, and those petitioning can verbally inform the person of the candidate’s career information when petitioning for recommendations. 

However, if a candidate submits an unapproved recommendation letter or receives recommendations from more than 500 people, the limit on the number of recommendations, for the purpose of undertaking election campaigning or receives false recommendations, for example by forging or falsifying a voter''s signature or seal, he or she may be sentenced to up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 2 million Korean won ($1,600 USD). 

An eligible voter can recommend two or more candidates, and when signing a recommendation, they must sign their name or stamp, and write their name, date of birth and address on the petition, and no fingerprints are allowed.

The candidate registration period for the upcoming National Assembly is two days from March 26 to 27, and the official campaign period starts on April 2.​