By Korea.net Honorary Reporter Lalien Guillen Park
Photos = Lalien Guillen Park together with Yonhap News
Being business office of a multi-cultural identify unit of measurement inwards Korea, I accept gained a lot of benefits together with privileges. Among them, is obtaining a novel citizenship. On Dec. 21, 2015, I became a naturalized Korean citizen. From that twenty-four hr menses onward, I obtained the equal rights to which a natural born Korean would live entitled. If y'all enquire me how I felt after getting my citizenship, it was incredible, exciting together with a humbling experience.
It was incredible because the Philippine authorities permits dual citizenship. Therefore, I had zilch to lose past times beingness naturalized every bit a Korean citizen. It was exciting for the fact that I could immediately larn my ain Korean identification carte (주민등록증) together with bid goodbye to my Alien Registration Card. In addition, becoming a Korean passport-holder way that I tin post away move to 172 countries visa-free, or else live granted a visa upon arrival.
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Korean%2Bpresidential%2Belection%2B1.jpg" width="640" /> It was a humbling experience because, amongst my miserable Korean linguistic communication skills, I felt that I was -- together with nevertheless am -- undeservedly lucky to live a citizen of a reason that gives me a lot of wonderful things together with experiences for which I volition ever live grateful.
However, beyond all the perks, such every bit having a Korean identification carte or belongings a Korean passport, the ane affair that I was most anxious near was exercising my correct to vote inwards an election.
The firstly ever Korean election inwards which I participated was the legislative elections held on Apr 13, 2016. I remembered beingness thus excited despite the heavy pelting that day. At that time, I idea that it was my finest 2d every bit a truthful Korean citizen. I was able to do my duty every bit a citizen together with conduct the lawmakers together with the people’s representatives inwards the government. I felt actually proficient together with proud after voting.
However, this presidential election of 2017 was fifty-fifty to a greater extent than special. I got actually excited upon receiving my data bundle related to the election.
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Korean%2Bpresidential%2Belection%2B2.jpg" width="640" /> Inside the parcel were booklets together with brochures near the presidential candidates, amongst data near their educational backgrounds together with political achievements.
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Korean%2Bpresidential%2Belection%2B3.jpg" width="640" /> Two days later, approximately other parcel arrived.
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Korean%2Bpresidential%2Belection%2B4.jpg" width="640" /> This ane contained data near voting, such every bit the date, the place together with my voter's registration number.
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Korean%2Bpresidential%2Belection%2B5.jpg" width="640" /> For the previous few months, I had been actively interested inwards Korean politics, to a greater extent than thus than I was before. I followed the candidates inwards the intelligence together with fifty-fifty watched approximately of their debates. The debates were actually of import because their answers reflected how they mightiness grip of import issues concerning the entire country.
I felt that this fourth dimension around, I was to a greater extent than prepared together with much wiser when exercising my correct to vote. Election twenty-four hr menses of May nine go came together with -- what a funny coincidence -- the clouds were gray together with it was rainy again.
Nonetheless, the pelting didn’t halt people from coming out to vote, which was a actually proficient sign that people were taking this election seriously.
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Korean%2Bpresidential%2Belection%2B6.jpg" width="640" /> I was glad to come across that approximately parents brought their children along amongst them. I believe that every bit early on every bit possible, children should prepare an awareness of how of import it is to vote. After all, they are the country’s future.
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Korean%2Bpresidential%2Belection%2B7.jpg" width="640" /> I can’t assistance but smiling to come across the sign that says, “You who vote are beautiful.” All citizens must live encouraged to exercise their correct to vote. I think that the election commission did a actually proficient project inwards this election, despite the curt menses of fourth dimension it had to brand the election possible.
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Korean%2Bpresidential%2Belection%2B8.jpg" width="640" /> After writing downward our names inwards the registration book, nosotros were given our ballots. We thus proceeded to the polling booths. Inside the booth, at that spot was an ink pen together with a practise sheet. I practiced stamping my alternative a brace of times on the practise canvass earlier stamping the ink pen on my ballot. After that, I made certain that the ink was fully dry out earlier folding my ballot inwards one-half together with inserting it inwards the ballot box. Just similar that, voting was done.
I drew a breath together with hoped for the best. I hoped that my unmarried vote would assistance my candidate win, together with that they could thus atomic number 82 Korea to a much ameliorate future.
The election was scheduled to live finished at 8 p.m. Once again, my hubby together with I were hooked on TV, watching the intelligence together with rooting for our presidential candidate.
It was a landslide victory! I wasn’t surprised at all. The newly elected President Luna Jae-in won the hearts of the bulk of the people amongst his sincerity together with feel of justice. He has been consistent near his dearest for the reason ever since he was a educatee activist. He thus became a human rights attorney later on on, together with thus a nationally known instance inwards the National Assembly. Now, he is the novel president of Korea.
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Korean%2Bpresidential%2Belection%2B9.jpg" width="640" /> I'm non expecting him to live a perfect president. Nobody has been, nobody is, together with nobody volition be. However, I am hoping together with praying that his proficient grapheme volition ever prevail together with that he volition brand the correct together with best decisions every bit the caput of our country.
My involvement inwards politics doesn't halt at this election. I know that this is exclusively the beginning. Now, I accept v to a greater extent than years to lookout adult man over together with to live involved inwards President Luna Jae-in’s governance, hoping that I voted wisely, hoping that I too made the correct determination to vote for this upright man.
I guess I tin post away state that there's non much difference, if there’s whatsoever divergence at all, every bit to how the election looked inwards my eyes together with inwards the eyes of a native-born Korean. After all, nosotros all alive inwards the same reason together with human face upwardly the same social issues. However, every bit a naturalized Korean, I think I experience to a greater extent than honored to live given this correct to vote together with to live business office of the solution. I volition endeavour my best to live a ameliorate Korean citizen thus that I tin post away live deserving of having this privilege of beingness able to sort a vote that tin post away brand a alter for the entire nation.
wisdom117@Korea.kr
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