Election watchdog preps for interference by NK defectors

The National Election Commission of South Korea is considering collaboration with Chinese police to prevent North Korean defectors from breaking into South Korean diplomatic offices in China ahead of South Korea’s general elections in April.

With the introduction of voting by Koreans overseas set for the elections, the commission seeks to have Chinese police dispatched around the diplomatic offices to keep public order. It is also mulling denial of access to those who fail to confirm South Korean nationality at the entrances of the offices. The measures are likely to stir controversy, however, with one critic saying, “Government agencies are taking the lead in barring the entrance of North Korean defectors to South Korean diplomatic offices.”

The Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry in Seoul also blasted the election watchdog, saying, “From the perspective of policy, the idea of preventing the entrance of North Korean defectors through cooperation with Chinese police makes no sense.”

With the controversy snowballing, the commission said, “We`ve devised such measures after reviewing the situations of and problems with voting of overseas Koreans last year. They are nothing new,” adding, “We intend to prepare for the intrusion of North Korean defectors. We don’t mean to strictly implement these measures.”

The election watching conducted mock elections and overseas explanation sessions twice last year to review potential problems in the process of voting by overseas Koreans. According to the commission, North Korean defectors breaking into diplomatic offices, clashes with right-wing Japanese groups and failure to deliver votes due to lack of mailing systems and postal strikes are expected.

scud2007@donga.com