'Discount nomination' offer raises questions on state of Korean elections

In a video uploaded to Rep. Lee Jun-seok’s Instagram account on Friday, the chair of the minor opposition Reform Party says “Korean politics has completely failed” (left), while calling for the recruitment of 4,000 political candidates (right). (Screenshots from Lee’s Instagram)

Attention is turning to the high cost of running for public office in South Korea after Rep. Lee Jun-seok, head of the minor opposition Reform Party, pledged to allow candidates to run in local elections with just 990,000 won ($670).

In a video uploaded to his Instagram account Friday, Lee said, “In the Reform Party, you can run in a local election with 990,000 won,” adding that the party will recruit 4,000 political candidates.

“Korean politics has completely failed,” Lee said in the video.

“Those of you watching this video could do politics better than they ever have,” he added. “That’s why anyone in the Reform Party can run for office with 990,000 won.”

In a separate Facebook post, Lee said running for office has long been out of reach for ordinary citizens. “As a result, politics has been left to those with money, time and connections,” he added.

His remarks drew renewed attention amid mounting controversies over nomination-related donations involving the ruling Democratic Party of Korea.

High barriers

Under South Korean election law, candidates are required to pay a statutory election deposit to the government when registering. The amount varies by election, ranging from several million won for local council elections to tens of millions of won for local government chief contests.

In practice, however, the financial burden of running for office rarely ends with the government deposit.

Candidates also typically incur costs related to the nomination and primary process — including screening fees, interview and document review charges, and expenses associated with internal primaries. Additional costs arise after nomination, such as the production of campaign materials.

As a result, beyond the state deposit, running for local council seats under major parties often requires tens of millions of won, largely due to these nomination and primary-related expenses imposed by parties.

Lee’s proposal focuses on cutting these additional costs imposed by political parties, not the government-mandated deposit.

The Reform Party said it will waive all of its own fees, including screening and review charges, and move the entire nomination process online.

“A system in which candidates must repeatedly visit party headquarters and spend millions — sometimes tens of millions — of won on screening fees and party dues needs to change,” a party official said.

The party also said it plans to minimize the cost of producing campaign materials. However, optional campaign expenses — such as campaign vehicles and paid election staff — would not be covered, meaning total spending could still vary depending on individual campaign strategies.

During the 2022 local elections, both the People Power Party and the Democratic Party reportedly collected several million won per primary candidate in screening and review fees.

Through such nomination-related fees, the two major parties reportedly generate more than 10 billion won in revenue after local elections, even after deducting direct campaign-related expenditures.

Observers note that these fees have become a routine part of party finances, particularly during local elections, which involve thousands of candidates nationwide.

Mixed assessments

Park Sang-pyung, a political commentator, said nomination fees have traditionally served multiple purposes.

“Parties incur real costs during primaries and screenings: interviews, document reviews, and in some cases public opinion surveys,” Park said. “Screening fees help cover those expenses and also function as a source of party revenue.”

He added that the fees are also intended to discourage frivolous or insincere candidacies by imposing a minimum financial commitment.

Still, Park said Lee’s pledge could resonate with younger voters and those fatigued by existing political structures.

“Lee is signaling that he wants to elevate younger people and appeal to voters who feel worn down by traditional politics,” Park said. “For wealthier candidates, these costs may not matter much, but for younger people, they are a real barrier.”

Park cautioned that the Reform Party, as a minor party, faces structural limits.

“For a minor party like the Reform Party, even finishing third or fourth is difficult, and reaching 8 or 9 percent of the vote is not easy,” he said. “By lowering entry costs, Lee is trying to present a different kind of party without appearing to run a political ‘business.’”

Still, concerns persist that South Korea’s party-centered election system places excessive financial demands on candidates.

“Everyone knows that, in practice, most candidates aim to run under major parties like the Democratic Party or the People Power Party,” said a former campaign participant who worked on a major party’s presidential campaign last year, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“The parties themselves are well aware of this,” the former campaign staffer said. “They justify high fees by citing the need to ensure the sustainability of party operations, but in practice, they also benefit from their dominant position in ways that allow higher fees to be imposed on candidates.”

Lower costs, however, could also constrain campaign visibility.

“If major parties run 10 campaign trucks, a Reform Party candidate may run one,” Park said. “That can affect competitiveness. Even so, reducing the risk and upfront cost of running for office is something worth applauding.”

He also noted that nomination deposits should not be viewed solely in negative terms.

“Because election expenses are reimbursed based on vote share, the system can motivate candidates to campaign seriously,” Park said.

Under current law, candidates are eligible for government reimbursement of election expenses depending on their vote share. Candidates who win or receive at least 15 percent of the vote are reimbursed in full, while those receiving between 10 and 15 percent are reimbursed for half their expenses. Candidates who fall below 10 percent receive no reimbursement.

Meanwhile, Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok, chair of the People Power Party, said Tuesday that the party will operate a reporting center for nomination-related corruption ahead of and during the June 3 local elections.

His announcement came as police investigate allegations that Rep. Kang Sun-woo, a former member of the Democratic Party of Korea, received 100 million won from Seoul City Councilor Kim Kyung, then a candidate, under the pretext of nomination-related contributions during the 2022 local elections.

Kang was expelled from the Democratic Party on Jan. 1 after the scandal surfaced.