A WEB

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On April 12, 2016 the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) and the National Election Commission of Korea co-hosted the 2016 Seoul International Forum on Elections in Shilla Hotel, Seoul. 160 participants from 51 countries, including Chung Ui Hwa, Chairperson of the Korean National Assembly, and Mark Lippert, Ambassador of the United States to Korea, were present at the event. The theme of the forum was Ways to Advance Democratic Elections and Democracy. The forum started with opening remarks by Kim Yong-Hi , Secretary-General of A-WEB, followed by congratulatory messages from Chairperson of the Korean National Assembly and Ambassador of the United States to Korea. The forum continued with three seminars: the Influence of ICT on Elections; the Role of Citizens in the Development of Democracy; and Ways to Promote Women's Political Participation. During those seminars, experts in the field of election and democracy gave presentations on each topic, followed by in-depth discussion sessions.

The presenters at the Forum are election and democracy experts from: the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB); the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA); the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES); the National Democratic Institute (NDI); the European Center for Electoral Support (ECES); Universities inside and outside Korea; and Embassies of Dominican Republic, Georgia, Tunisia, Columbia, and El Salvador to Korea.

On April 13th, the day of the 20th Korean National Assembly elections, participants were offered the chance to observe the voting and counting process and learn about Korea's electoral system as well as its advanced election management.

Prior to election day, on April 9th, around 70 international observers, including electoral officials from emerging democracies such as Uzbekistan, El Salvador, Malawi, Tunisia and Indonesia had visited an early voting polling station in Yeonsugu, Incheon, to observe the early voting process. Many observers lauded Korea's early voting by saying "Korea's early voting shows its exceptional ICT and advanced election management, and is one of the world's best election systems".

On April 10th, the international observers visited the constituency in Jongno-gu, Seoul to see candidates delivering speeches and electoral officials dancing cheerfully. The observers commented on this experience by saying "The Koreans have an impressive election culture where they enjoy elections as if they are having a festival".

A-WEB, comprised of 106 Electoral Management Bodies from 102 countries, is planning to continue its effort to assist emerging democracies in improving their electoral systems and to carry forward its projects such as seminars on improvement of electoral law and capacity building programs for election officials.