S.Korean ruling lawmaker calls for end to voting rights of local Chinese

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - A South Korean ruling People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker on Tuesday proposed eliminating the voting privileges of Chinese citizens residing in South Korea, citing the absence of reciprocal arrangements.

"At the time of the local elections in June last year, about 100,000 Chinese nationals residing here had the right to vote. However, no suffrage is guaranteed at all for our people in China," Kim Gi-hyeon told parliament, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.

He further questioned why South Korea should be “the only one opening the latch.”

“What is fair would be not to give voting rights to foreigners from countries that do not give our people voting rights," he said.

Since 2005, South Korea has granted the right to vote in local elections to foreigners who hold permanent residency for at least three years.

However, some have said the law gives Chinese individuals excessive influence in local politics.

As of last year, approximately 2.25 million foreigners resided in South Korea, with around 38%, or 850,000, of them being Chinese, according to South Korea’s Justice Ministry statistics.