The referendum law ‘disappears’… The National Election Commission: “It’s impossible at the moment”

However, it seems legally difficult for the president-elect Yoon Seok-yeol to propose a ‘referral’. When we checked, it was decided that some provisions of the ‘People’s Referendum Act’ were inconsistent with the Constitution 8 years ago. However, the effect was lost because the National Assembly did not supplement it. I inquired at the naval officer. He replied that a referendum was not possible at the moment because he could not create a list of voters.

Reporter Chae Seung-gi covered it.

[기자]

Detailed procedures for conducting a referendum are stipulated in the Referendum Act.

However, in July 2014, the Constitutional Court ruled that some provisions of the Referendum Act were inconsistent with the Constitution.

This is because they believed that Article 14(1), which restricts overseas citizens from voting if they do not have resident registration or domestic residence report, infringes on their voting rights.

At that time, the Constitutional Court requested that the law be amended by the end of 2015, but it has not yet been amended and has lost its effect.

The National Election Commission is of the opinion that a referendum is impossible at this time.

The National Election Commission explained, “Under the current regulations, it is impossible to create a voter list, so it is impossible to hold a referendum.”

Even if the law is amended and supplemented, there is not enough time physically to hold a referendum at the same time as the local elections in June.

President-elect Yoon’s side said that they would find a solution regarding the list of voters.

[장제원/대통령 당선인 비서실장 : 이런 그 상황에 대해서 국민에게 물어보는 거는 저는 가능하다고 보고 투표인 명부 이 문제를 어떻게 할 것인가에 대해서 잘 검토해서…]

However, age issues are also pointed out.

Due to the revision of the Public Official Election Act, the right to vote and the right to vote have been lowered to the age of 18.

From the beginning, it is pointed out that President-elect Yoon’s side may have forcefully pulled out the referendum card without sufficient discussion.

(Video design: Kim Hyun-joo, Lee Chang-hwan)