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South Korea’s ruling party seeks to limit Chinese nationals’ voting, health rights
- Chairman of the conservative People Power Party, Kim Gi-hyeon, says Beijing-Seoul relations should be re-established under the ‘principle of reciprocity’
- President Yoon Suk-yeol says the same, amid Koreans ‘displeasure’ at Beijing’s recent warning against Seoul betting on Washington in the US-China rivalry
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South Korea’s ruling party wants to prevent Chinese nationals living in the country from meddling in politics and abusing its medical insurance law, sparking accusations that it is stirring up anti-Chinese sentiments amid rising tension.
Kim Gi-hyeon, the chairman of President Yoon Suk-yeol’s conservative People Power Party (PPP) – which has fewer seats in parliament than its rival Democratic Party – told lawmakers during a speech on Tuesday that South Korea-China relations “should be re-established under the principle of reciprocity”.
“We will work to limit the voting rights of Chinese residents in this country,” Kim said.
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In local elections last year, about 100,000 Chinese people living in South Korea were eligible to vote, while South Koreans in China were not allowed to vote at all, he said.
Most of these China-born residents have Korean ancestors and hold Chinese passports.
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“It’s only fair to deny foreigners the right to vote in this country unless their home countries grant our own citizens the same right,” Kim added.
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