South Korea: Fines upheld for voters attempting to cast ballots twice

An appellate court has upheld fines for two individuals in South Korea who attempted to vote twice, once during early voting and again on the official election day. The ruling highlights the legal consequences for violating election laws, even in cases where defendants claim ignorance or forgetfulness.

In one case, a man in his 20s was fined 1 million won (approximately $720 USD) for attempting to cast a ballot on the main voting day after having already voted early in the presidential election. He claimed it was his first time voting and that he was unaware of the prohibition against voting twice, or that he had forgotten about his early vote. However, the court found his explanation unconvincing, noting that he admitted to election officials he was trying to "check if the vote would go through" when questioned about his second attempt.

Similarly, a man in his 50s was also fined 1 million won for attempting to vote twice during early voting periods for different elections. He argued that he had forgotten he had already voted early. The appellate court rejected his defense, pointing to his extensive information requests regarding election procedures, including early voting methods, for the 2024 National Assembly elections. The court concluded that he demonstrated a significant interest and awareness of election processes, making his claim of accidental double voting difficult to accept.