By Lee Han-soo
A record number of South Koreans living overseas will cast ballots for the May 9 presidential election, the national election watchdog said Monday.
The National Election Commission (NEC) said 294,633 of an estimated 1.97 million Koreans overseas, or 14.9 percent -- up 32.5 percent from the previous presidential election in 2012 -- will participate in a six day-poll from Apr. 25 to 30 at 204 polling stations in 116 countries.
Increased attention to politics as a result of the corruption scandal involving former President Park Geun-hye and her friend Choi Soon-sil is believed to be the biggest contributor to the hike.
The United States accounts for the biggest portion (68,244) of the overseas voters, followed by China (43,912) and Japan (38,009). Ballots will be brought to South Korea in diplomatic pouches and be kept at the NEC, to be counted with ballots cast on election day.
"We will do our utmost to get overseas voting done in a fair and transparent manner," a NEC official said. "We ask the voters to vote after carefully reviewing the candidates' policies and commitments."
A record number of South Koreans living overseas will cast ballots for the May 9 presidential election, the national election watchdog said Monday.
The National Election Commission (NEC) said 294,633 of an estimated 1.97 million Koreans overseas, or 14.9 percent -- up 32.5 percent from the previous presidential election in 2012 -- will participate in a six day-poll from Apr. 25 to 30 at 204 polling stations in 116 countries.
Increased attention to politics as a result of the corruption scandal involving former President Park Geun-hye and her friend Choi Soon-sil is believed to be the biggest contributor to the hike.
The United States accounts for the biggest portion (68,244) of the overseas voters, followed by China (43,912) and Japan (38,009). Ballots will be brought to South Korea in diplomatic pouches and be kept at the NEC, to be counted with ballots cast on election day.
"We will do our utmost to get overseas voting done in a fair and transparent manner," a NEC official said. "We ask the voters to vote after carefully reviewing the candidates' policies and commitments."
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