ID :
202022
Thu, 08/18/2011 - 06:17
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/202022
The shortlink copeid
Seoul mayor seeks to boost turnout in next week's vote on free lunch
SEOUL, Aug. 18 (Yonhap) -- Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon on Thursday sought to encourage citizens to vote in next week's referendum on the city's free school lunch program amid fears that turnout could fall low enough to invalidate the poll and deal a blow to his political career.
Wednesday's vote is about whether to continue an opposition-led free lunch program for all students. Critics say the program, which could open the doors wide for more populist polices that could weigh on the state budget, should be introduced in stages, while proponents argue that poor students who receive free lunch could be stigmatized at school.
Opposition parties have urged citizens to boycott the vote so as to invalidate it, as ballot counting will take place only if one-third of the city's 8,387,281 eligible voters, or 2,795,761 people, participate in the vote.
As part of last-minute efforts to boost turnout, Oh asked members of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) on Thursday to cooperate in campaigns to raise public awareness of what he called the "watershed" referendum.
"If (party members) make efforts together, achieving (a turnout over 33.3 percent) will not be a difficult task," Oh told senior GNP members belonging to the Seoul branch. "This referendum is the first case in which (residents) vote on a policy, not on a person. Let's pool all our efforts with confidence."
Since South Korea adopted residents' referendums in 2004, local governments have held only three polls to reflect public opinion on administrative affairs, while it is the first such vote for Seoul.
Rejecting speculation that the mayor is using the referendum to boost his political fortunes ahead of next year's presidential election, Oh last week said he will not run for the 2012 race, though he stopped short of saying whether he will stake his mayoralty on the vote.
GNP leader Hong Joon-pyo also encouraged citizens to participate in the vote, while attacking the opposition's boycott against the referendum to nullify the vote itself.
"The Democratic Party is leading a boycott campaign against a legitimate referendum," Hong said in the party meeting. "Seeing the DP evade discussions and voting, I think it hardly qualifies as an official political party."
In a country where nearly one-fourth of the population of 50 million lives in the capital area, the conservative party has been paying keen attention to the direction of public opinion on the first series of universal welfare programs ahead of next year's general and presidential elections.
Wednesday's vote is about whether to continue an opposition-led free lunch program for all students. Critics say the program, which could open the doors wide for more populist polices that could weigh on the state budget, should be introduced in stages, while proponents argue that poor students who receive free lunch could be stigmatized at school.
Opposition parties have urged citizens to boycott the vote so as to invalidate it, as ballot counting will take place only if one-third of the city's 8,387,281 eligible voters, or 2,795,761 people, participate in the vote.
As part of last-minute efforts to boost turnout, Oh asked members of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) on Thursday to cooperate in campaigns to raise public awareness of what he called the "watershed" referendum.
"If (party members) make efforts together, achieving (a turnout over 33.3 percent) will not be a difficult task," Oh told senior GNP members belonging to the Seoul branch. "This referendum is the first case in which (residents) vote on a policy, not on a person. Let's pool all our efforts with confidence."
Since South Korea adopted residents' referendums in 2004, local governments have held only three polls to reflect public opinion on administrative affairs, while it is the first such vote for Seoul.
Rejecting speculation that the mayor is using the referendum to boost his political fortunes ahead of next year's presidential election, Oh last week said he will not run for the 2012 race, though he stopped short of saying whether he will stake his mayoralty on the vote.
GNP leader Hong Joon-pyo also encouraged citizens to participate in the vote, while attacking the opposition's boycott against the referendum to nullify the vote itself.
"The Democratic Party is leading a boycott campaign against a legitimate referendum," Hong said in the party meeting. "Seeing the DP evade discussions and voting, I think it hardly qualifies as an official political party."
In a country where nearly one-fourth of the population of 50 million lives in the capital area, the conservative party has been paying keen attention to the direction of public opinion on the first series of universal welfare programs ahead of next year's general and presidential elections.
