The Republic of Korea is now hot ahead of the 22nd general election on April 10, 2024. The 22nd general election, which takes place less than 2 years after the latest presidential election, is an important opportunity to determine the support rate of the president or the ruling party and the future operation of state affairs.
With the general election swiftly approaching within a month's time, the heightened interest among Koreans underscores the intrinsic significance attributed to the concepts of 'election' and 'suffrage'. Suffrage in the Republic of Korea denotes the legal right bestowed upon citizens to participate in elections, a privilege granted to all individuals over the age of 21 since the country's inception in 1948. However, the journey toward ensuring and perfecting suffrage in Korea has not been without its challenges.
During the 1950s and 1960s, electoral malpractices marred Korean presidential elections, with instances of widespread cheating such as organized voting blocs and proxy voting. Certain political parties were implicated in the manipulation of the voting and counting processes, and ballot tampering was not uncommon. Despite the guarantee of the right of ‘general voting’ during this period, this incidents that called March 15 rigged election(3.15 부정선거), showed democracy in Korea remained fragile. Subsequently, the April 19 Revolution(4.19 혁명) emerged as a watershed moment, galvanizing citizens to denounce electoral fraud and topple the corrupt regime, thereby advancing the cause of full suffrage.
The hard-won guarantee of full suffrage, attained through considerable struggle, can be realized through our elections. Elections play an important role as the primary methods of representative democracy, making direct citizen participation in politics and ensuring their rights to reflect their opinion to decision-making domestically. Furthermore, in order to prevent corruption or monopolization of power in the political process, the people with sovereignty also manage and supervise it and make their own decisions through voting.
As underscored earlier, the right to vote stands as a fundamental pillar of democracy. Any issues arising during the electoral process not only signify a failure on the part of citizens to properly select their representatives but also risk tarnishing the nation's honor across various domains such as diplomacy, security, politics, and culture. To truly experience the power of one's voice in effecting change within the country, voting is imperative. This holds true for elections at all levels, whether for lawmakers, presidents, or local government officials. In essence, voting represents the most fundamental means by which democracy is actualized and upheld by the people.
Comments