Jeonbuk National University Students Protest Voting Rights Violations

Jeonbuk National University political declaration announcement [Photo=Jeonbuk National University Student Council SNS]

Jeonbuk National University’s Student Council is set to hold a political declaration condemning the shortage of ballots in the 9th nationwide local elections.

According to Yonhap News on June 10, the Student Council announced that the declaration will take place at 6:10 PM at the university's Geunji Square, coinciding with the anniversary of the June 10 Democratic Uprising.

In a statement, the Student Council said, "The shortage of ballots has led to a violation of citizens' voting rights by the state. We aim to voice our concerns responsibly on behalf of the youth regarding this issue, which has eroded trust in representative democracy and the electoral system."

The declaration will see participation from student councils across major universities, including Yonsei University, Konkuk University, Korea University, Kyung Hee University, Sogang University, Seoul National University, University of Seoul, Sungkyunkwan University, Soongsil University, Chonnam National University, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Hongik University, Sookmyung Women's University, Pusan National University, and Hanyang University. Each university will conduct its own declaration at the same time on their respective campuses.

The participating student councils plan to demand: ▲ an investigation and accountability through a national inquiry and special prosecutor; ▲ measures to address violations of citizens' basic rights; ▲ structural reforms of the National Election Commission; and ▲ the establishment of a citizen participation-based reform oversight body.

Following the ballot shortage, concerns about the management of the elections have grown, prompting the student community to call for a collective response. As a result, student councils across the nation are joining forces to address the issue.

Notably, student councils from 16 universities, including Yonsei University, Korea University, Seoul National University, Sungkyunkwan University, Chonnam National University, and Pusan National University, will hold their declarations simultaneously this afternoon to express their stance on the controversies arising from the electoral process.

* This article has been translated by AI.