The voting age is likely to be lowered to 18 for the 2017 presidential election. The New Conservative Party for Reform (NCPR), created by lawmakers who left the Saenuri Party, said Wednesday that it will seek to lower the voting age from 19 to 18 and apply it to the next election. With all three opposition parties supporting an increase in the number of eligible voters, there is a high possibility that the Election Law could be revised during an extraordinary session of the National Assembly in January. If revised, those who are 18, currently high school students, will be able to vote in the presidential election, which could take place earlier than scheduled.
“We agreed to lower the voting age to 18,” Rep. Choung Byoung-gug, the head of the preparatory committee for the establishment of the NCPR said after a meeting of the group.
“We will strive to pass a revision as soon as possible and apply it possibly from the presidential election.”
The NCPR, which will be officially inaugurated Jan. 24, now has 30 incumbent lawmakers. With 165 opposition lawmakers and six independent lawmakers, the National Assembly can meet the requirement of 200 seats needed to pass a revision bill without the participation of the ruling Saenuri Party.
Full Article: Voting age likely to be lowered to 18.
