Dajeong Choi / 3rd assignment / thur 34

How Does a Person Become a Candidate to Run for Office in Korea?                Maybe we all had been dreamed to become a powerful politician either for justice or just for delusions of fame and fortune. I also had such a dream once while watching American television serial drama the West Wing. Compared to our political reality, the world in TV was an ideal world that I always dreamed of. I thought if there's nobody volunteer for this, maybe I can change this world into what I believe right. After I decided so, searched how I can run my own political office, and then, this ambition soon crumbled to dust as I found the cost required for registering the election is about 15 thousand US dollars and for conducting campaign is tremendous amount. At that time, I was so innocent that didn't know politic need money, lots of. Did you already know that? Then you are so down-to-earth person. Let's keep find out how the riches start to run for office by steps.              First of all, a person who wants to be a candidate shall register as a candidate from 14 days before the Election Day in the presidential nominating committee for 2 days, and candidate registration time is 9am to 5pm even on holidays according to the regulations of the corresponding university. In this process of registration, you need to cost about 15 thousand US dollars to guarantee you are rich enough to conducting election campaign.              Now, the presidential nominating committee shall submit one copy of the list of candidates to the competent Election Commission until the day next to the last day of the candidate registration. If a candidate is resigned or passed away, or candidate registration is invalid, the fact shall be notified to the Commission.              If everything is settled well, it is time to campaign. Election campaign is only allowed from the day after the end of candidate registration to the day before the Election Day. The methods of election campaign are attaching propaganda posters, distributing election campaign bulletins and small printed matter, holding joint meetings for broadcasting speech campaign and open debates, using telephones and Internet, etc.              Register as a candidate, verification to the competent Election Commission and conducting election campaign, these are 3 steps a candidate runs for a office in Korea. But, before you step forward, make sure you really want to run for political office and that your family is willing because it requires a lot of money and efforts which you may not be compensated.