As the candidates for the upcoming local elections on June 3 become increasingly visible, a controversial proposal by Lee Jun-seok, the leader of the Reform Party, has emerged. He introduced an amendment to the Information and Communications Network Act, which prohibits foreigners from commenting on political articles or comments during the election period. The intention behind this amendment is to prevent foreign influence in shaping public opinion; however, it has drawn criticism for infringing on the freedom of expression of foreigners and facing technical challenges in identifying whether a commenter is a national or foreigner.

The law, proposed by Lee on May 5, outlines that information service providers must take technical and managerial measures to prevent foreigners from posting comments about political articles during elections, as stipulated in a new article. Interestingly, the proposed law does not apply to foreign individuals who possess voting rights in Korea. Lee’s rationale behind the bill points to the rapid formation of opinions on digital platforms and the recent occurrences of organized foreign interference in democratic processes, reflecting a need for preventive measures in a reactive democratic framework.

Critics of the legislation argue that it is rooted in xenophobia and represents a discriminatory and unconstitutional attempt at legislation. The civil rights group Open Net issued a statement asserting that foreigners also contribute to society, pay taxes, and live under the law, making their ability to comment on political matters a matter of free expression independent of voting rights. They argue that this law presupposes potential danger from foreign political expression and unjustly targets the whole group, reflecting a troubling trend in legislative measures against non-nationals within Korea.