By Kim Cheong-won
Staff Reporter



Taiwanese couple Chen Pao-cheng, right, and An Feng-wen cast ballots at the Ildo 1-dong office on Cheju Island, Wednesday, on the new provincial administrative system. Because of the Cheju government’s application of the new voting law, 114 foreigners with permanent residency on the island were able to vote for the first time. / Newsis


Song Bok-lim, a Taiwanese national with permanent residency on Cheju Island, exercised his right to vote for the first time in Korea on Wednesday when he cast a ballot on a proposed local administrative system.
In the past, whenever his customers would talk about elections at his Chinese restaurant, he felt bitterness, as he could not enjoy the right although he has been living in the country since 1960.

Song, 56, participated in the vote to decide on the new administrative system as the Cheju government applied the new voting law allowing foreigners who have permanent residency in Korea and are over 20 years old to vote in local elections.

``It’s still unbelievable that I could cast a ballot,’’ Song said, adding that voting rights were a long-awaited wish for the Taiwanese community on the island.

``Now, I feel like I am a real member of the local community here. Cheju is now really my home,’’ he added.

Taiwanese residents, called ``hwagyo’’ in Korean, account for about 95 percent of the long-term permanent residents in Korea, which is estimated to be around 30,000.

The origin of hwagyo dates back to 1882 when China’s Ching Dynasty dispatched troops under the command of Gen. Yuan Shikai, following a Korean military uprising in Seoul. Along with the troops, merchants came to Korea, creating what later became the nation’s Chinese community.

Along with the 111 hwagyo who voted, three Japanese residents exercised their rights as well, the Cheju provincial government said.

``It is really meaningful that foreigners have been granted suffrage for the first time in Korean history,’’ said Ko Chang-hoon, a professor at Cheju National University.

``Koreans are not familiar with accepting other cultures and foreigners as the country is a homogenous society. But this move is regarded as a good start toward changing that trend,’’ the professor explained.

A total of 402,003 eligible voters were allowed to cast a vote of ``Yes,’’ or ``No’’ on a ballot to change the island’s administrative system, a plan to merge Cheju’s two counties with its two cities, all under the direct control of the provincial government.

Currently, the island province has two cities _ Cheju City and Sogwipo City _ and two counties _ North Cheju County and South Cheju County.

The proposed system won voters’ approval, according to the province’s election commission.

Voting results announced as of 9 p.m. showed that 51.2 percent of voters cast ``Yes’’ votes.

Voter turnout was estimated at just 36.7 percent, lower than the 49.8 percent for the by-election last year to elect the new governor.

Those favoring the current system argued that if the new system were introduced, the counties and cities would be integrated into the provincial government, which runs counter to the spirit of local autonomy.

``The two cities under direct control of the provincial government will strengthen the governor’s power excessively, as the two mayors will be appointed by the governor,’’ said Kim Sang-geun, a representative of the Cheju Residents’ Autonomy Association, told The Korea Times.

``Once the power is centralized, it is really difficult to check or control the power,’’ he added.

However, groups advocating the two-city system insist the new system ultimately will speed up the decision-making process, saying the current system is too complicated.

``The current system requires high costs and has low efficiency, as there are too many reporting ladders. To be a global city as the Cheju government aims to be, a simpler two city system under the provincial government should be introduced,’’ said Kim Cheul-heui, an official at the Cheju branch of the Junior Chamber International Korea.

Cheju Island Governor Kim Tae-hwan is on the front line of the proposed system while Cheju City Mayor Kim Yung-hoon and the two county heads oppose the plan.

Regardless of whether or not the ballot had passed, professor Ko said that the Cheju provincial government should look beyond simply becoming an international and unique city in the East Asia region.

``Although the population of Cheju Island is less than half a million, the island can play an important role between the two Koreas. It could be a peace zone, providing a kind of buffer zone both for the South and the North. That’s what the island should pursue,’’ the professor added.

kcw@koreatimes.co.kr