Johannesburg: President Lee Jae Myung announced on Sunday his administration's commitment to exploring improvements in voting rights for Koreans living abroad, with a particular focus on the implementation of electronic voting systems.
According to Yonhap News Agency, during a meeting with Korean residents in South Africa, President Lee highlighted the challenges faced by the approximately 4,000 Korean nationals residing in the country. Many have had to travel significant distances to participate in elections due to the limited number of polling stations. To mitigate this inconvenience, President Lee proposed the adoption of electronic voting, emphasizing that the method's reliability has already been proven by its use in political party elections to choose leaders.
President Lee addressed the gathering during a luncheon at a hotel in Johannesburg, attended by about 70 participants, who expressed their agreement with his remarks through applause. He further assured the attendees that his government is dedicated to enhancing support for Korean communities abroad, ensuring that overseas nationals are not marginalized and can fully exercise their democratic rights.
This initiative to expand voting access aligns with one of Lee's presidential campaign promises, which also included exploring postal voting options for overseas Koreans.