Prosecutors study ways to crack down on illegal election campaigning overseas

Prosecutors are studying ways to crack down on illegal campaigning in South Korean communities overseas ahead of next year's general elections in which expatriate Koreans will be allowed to vote for the first time, officials said Monday. South Korea enacted a law in February 2009 to grant suffrage to citizens residing in foreign countries. About 2.3 million expatriates over the age of 19 are expected to qualify to cast ballots in the country's general election in April and a presidential election in December next year. Analysts say overseas voters have the potential to swing usually closely-fought elections. In a bid to regulate potential election campaign irregularities overseas, the public security division of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office will hold a workshop later this week to come up with measures to deal with violations outside of the country, the prosecution office said. In the Thursday-Friday workshop, about 50 prosecutors will try to find ways to forge cooperation with foreign governments, including their foreign ministries and election watchdogs, officials said. The move reflects worries that a lack of related regulations make it hard for prosecutors to clamp down on election irregularities overseas. Experts also voiced concern that pro-North Korean groups in Japan could try to affect the elections. "The expatriate suffrage was adopted somewhat hastily," a prosecution official said. "We are very concerned that although the overseas suffrage could bring a critical change in the result of close elections, there are no realistic measures to block illegal election campaigns overseas."