Limited franchise eyed for long-time alien residents

The Millennium Democratic Party is preparing to draft a special bill to grant foreigners residing in Korea extended periods of time the right to vote for local councilmen and administrators. The bill will be submitted to the National Assembly for action during the upcoming extraordinary session.

The special law is deemed relevant in connection with the proposed human rights law, one of the three main pending reform bills, ruling party officials said Sunday, because it seeks to give long-time foreign residents here the franchise to choose local representatives as part of general improvement of human rights in this country.

The bill needs to be passed during the coming extra parliamentary sitting, they added.