Candidate Registration

• Candidate Nomination

  If a member of a political party stands for an election, they need the nomination of a political party. If a person who is not a member of a political party stands for an election, they must be nominated by a certain number of electors to be valid.

  • Party-nominated Candidate

    When any political party intends to nominate a members as a candidate, it shall do so according to democratic procedures. Candidates defeated in an intraparty competition for public official elections are prohibited from registering as a candidate for the relevant election in the same constituency.
    When any political party intends to recommend its members as candidates to run for proportional representatives of the National Assembly and proportional representatives of local councils, a political party shall recommend not less than 50/100 of the candidates from among women; and odd-ranking candidates must be female on the list of candidates.
    When any political party intends to recommend its members as candidates to run for district representatives of the National Assembly and district representatives of the local council in the General Election, a political party shall make its efforts to recommend not less than 30/100 of the total number of the candidates for the nationwide constituencies from among women. By doing so, women's right to hold a public office has been strengthened.
    Add to that, when any political party intends to recommend its members as candidates to run for one of district representatives of Si/Do council or district representatives of Gu/Si/Gun council, the party shall recommend women in not less than one constituency within the relevant constituency for the National Assembly member.

  • Independent Candidate

     

    Independent Candidate

    Types of elections	President	National Assembly member, head of Gu/Si/Gun	Si/Do governor	Si/Do council member	Gu/Si/Gun council member
    Number of endorsement	3,500~6,000	300~500	1,000~2,000	100~200	50~100
    Remark	divided into 5 or more Si/Do, each of which includes 700 or more electors are needed		divided into a third or more autonomous Gu/Si/Gun in the relevant Si/Do, each of which includes 50 or more electors are needed		in case of a constituency with a population of fewer than 1,000, endorsements of over 30 to below 50 electors are needed

     

  • Candidate Registration and Nullification of Registration

    Public officials and any others who are restricted from becoming a candidate due to their posts shall resign their posts by 90 days before the election day; and documents on property, military service records, criminal records, certificates of final academic backgrounds, tax payment history over the last 5 years, and default history shall be submitted to the competent election commission during the candidate registration period.
    
    After the registration, when a candidate is found to be ineligible for the election or other breaches of the requirements are found, an election commission shall nullify the registration.

  • Candidate's Deposit

    The deposit system has been adopted in order to prevent an election from being flooded with candidates and overheated up; and to guarantee the sincerity of candidates.

     

    Candidate's Deposit

    Types of election	President	Si/Do Governor	Head of Gu/Si/Gun	National Assembly Member	Si/Do council Member	Gu/Si/Gun Council Member
    Remark	300 million won	50 million won	10 million won	15 million won	3 million won	2 million won

     

  • Return of Deposit

    Elections for proportional representative of the National Assembly & proportional representative of the local council

    The whole amount of the deposit money shall be returned, when there is any elected person among candidates on the party list. However, deposits of candidates who withdraw candidacy before the declaration of the elected or whose registration is nullified shall not be returned.

    Elections for president, local government head, district representative of the National Assembly & local council

    The whole amount of the deposit money shall be returned, when a candidate is elected or deceased; or obtains 15/100 or more in the total number of valid votes.
    The half amount of the deposit money shall be returned, when a candidate obtains 10/100 or more but less than 15/100 in the total number of valid votes.