Candidate Registration for General Election Begins

The candidate registration for the April 15 elections started March 31 at National Elections Commissions across the nation.

However, the registration rate of the first day was far lower than expected since documents regarding candidate’s property, military service, tax payment and criminal records which are required of parliamentary hopefuls became more complicated. In addition, election campaigns are prohibited during the registration days based on the revised election law. But the National Elections Commission (NEC) forecasted that 1,300 hopefuls will register by April 1, which will eventually reach around a 5-1 competition rate.

As of 5:20 p.m. on March 31, the NEC estimated that 417 candidates targeting 243 election districts nationwide have completed their registration, which recorded a 1.72-1 competition rate. As for candidates of proportional representatives, only 17 runners have registered, 16 from the Democratic Labor Party and one from the Socialist Party.

The categories by parties are: Grand National Party, 91; Millennium Democratic Party, 46; Uri Party, 107; United Liberal Democrats, 34; Democratic Labor Party, 54; National Unity, 21; Minkook Party (Democratic People’s Party). 1; Green Social Democratic Party. 7; Independent 70.

By regions, candidates from Seoul, 46; Busan, 32; Daegu, 20; Incheon, 15; Kwangju, 19; Daejon, 22; Ulsan, 23; Gyeonggi, 38; Gangwon, 21; Choongbuk, 4; Choongnam, 37; Chonbuk, 27; Chonnam, 21; Gyeongbuk, 44; Gyeongnam, 39; and Jeju, 9, have completed registration.

Professions of candidates were ranked as: politicians, 165; assemblymen, 78; lawyers, 33; professors or scholars, 23.

As the registration status was inactive in its first day, the second day or the last day of registration period is expected to be crowded by candidates. A full-scale election campaign will begin for 13 days starting April 2.

In the 15th General Election in 1996, the competition rate of local electorates was 5.5-1, with 1,389 runners registered for 253 electorates. In 2000 during the 16th General Election, the competition rate was 4.6-1, with 1,040 candidates competing for 227 electorates.

Young-Chan Yoon yyc11@donga.com