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Key Points

South Korean authorities are preparing unprecedented security measures for the upcoming presidential election on June 3rd. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency will implement a comprehensive three-layered protection strategy for candidates using specialized squads and advanced technological surveillance. Overseas voting will commence, allowing 258,254 international South Korean nationals to participate across 118 countries. The election represents a critical moment in determining the successor to former President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Key Points: South Korea Election Security Park Hyun-soo Details Candidate Protection

  • Police deploying six specialized squads for candidate protection
  • Advanced security gear including bomb-sniffing dogs and anti-sniper equipment
  • 100% force mobilization planned for election day
  • Overseas voting begins with 258,254 eligible international voters
2 min read

South Korean police plan triple-layered security for presidential candidates

South Korean police unveil triple-layered security plan for presidential candidates ahead of critical June 3 election with advanced protection strategies

"In important situations, I plan to personally command the field - Park Hyun-soo, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Acting Chief"

Seoul, May 19

South Korean police said on Monday that they plan to deploy three layers of security forces to protect presidential candidates ahead of the June 3 election.

Park Hyun-soo, acting chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, announced the measure during a regular press briefing, saying six police squads will be mobilised to exclusively guard candidates during campaign rallies.

The squads will form the third layer, while the first layer will be made up of a designated security team sent by the National Police Agency. The second layer will be composed of detectives and officers from precinct police stations, Yonhap news agency reported.

"In important situations, I plan to personally command the field," Park said.

Police will also use advanced specialised gear at campaign rallies, such as bomb-sniffing dogs, anti-sniper observation equipment and special-purpose binoculars.

On election day, they plan to activate the Gapho level of the emergency duty system, the highest level, to mobilise 100 per cent of available forces.

Meanwhile, overseas voting for the South Korean June 3 presidential election is set to kick off on Tuesday for a six-day run.

A total of 258,254 overseas South Korean nationals, including those registered as absentee voters, will be eligible to vote at 223 polling stations across 118 countries from Tuesday to next Wednesday, according to the National Election Commission (NEC).

Polling stations were set up in South Korean overseas missions in Cuba, Luxembourg, Lithuania, and Estonia for the first time, where diplomatic missions were recently established.

Eligible voters unable to participate in the overseas voting or those wishing to cast their ballots in South Korea can do so on voting day if they report to regional election commissions between May 26 and June 3, the NEC said.

Meanwhile, South Korean Presidential candidates ramped up their campaigns to woo swing voters in the key battleground of Seoul, with the election just 15 days away to pick a successor to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted over his failed martial law bid.

Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung, the campaign's front-runner, met elderly voters, while People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo and Lee Jun-seok of the minor New Reform Party (NRP) joined a forum in Seoul.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

Here are 5 diverse Indian perspective comments for the South Korean election security article:
R
Rahul K.
Interesting to see such tight security measures! In India, we've seen how important candidate protection is during elections. Hope they maintain this vigilance without causing inconvenience to common voters. The bomb-sniffing dogs and anti-sniper equipment sound impressive 👏
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Priya M.
Three layers of security seems excessive no? In our last elections, EC managed with good planning and local police. Maybe South Korea has specific threats we don't know about. Still, better safe than sorry when it comes to democracy!
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Sanjay T.
The overseas voting system is quite impressive - 118 countries! India should learn from this. Our NRI voting process is still cumbersome. Though I wonder if such high security means South Korean politics is more violent than we realize? 🤔
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Ananya R.
As someone who follows K-dramas, this real-life political drama is fascinating! But seriously, the ousted president trying martial law shows how fragile democracy can be. Hope the election goes smoothly. India and South Korea both know the value of democratic processes.
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Vikram J.
Good to see our Asian neighbor taking elections seriously. But deploying 100% police force on voting day? That might strain regular law and order. In Mumbai, we've seen how police multitask during elections. Maybe they could find a middle path.

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