Seoul, Tokyo open first polling stations for Kazakhstan referendum
The first polling stations in the referendum on amendments to the Constitution of Kazakhstan have opened in Seoul and Tokyo, allowing Kazakh citizens residing in South Korea and Japan to be the first to cast their votes, Kazinform News Agency reports, citing the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan.
According to the ministry, coverage of the voting process in the referendum on the draft New Constitution of Kazakhstan has begun at polling stations established abroad.
All overseas polling stations have been organized at the premises of Kazakhstan’s diplomatic missions.
Kazakh citizens in South Korea and Japan are the first to take part in the voting. Polling stations No. 422 in Seoul and No. 425 in Tokyo were the first to open at 07:00 local time.
The first Kazakh citizen to take part in the referendum voting in Tokyo was third-year student of Nihon University, Zhibek Aidyn. She noted that thanks to the work of the diplomatic missions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, compatriots living abroad have been given the opportunity to exercise their voting rights.
“For us, this is not just a vote, but a responsible participation in determining the country’s future course. I am confident that the decision adopted will contribute to strengthening Kazakhstan’s sustainable and dynamic development,” she added.
One of the first to cast his vote at the polling station in Seoul was Kazakh citizen Yernar Sarsenbayev, an employee of the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO).
He highly praised the opportunity for Kazakh citizens residing abroad to take part in such an important political process.
Voting at polling stations on referendum day will take place from 07:00 to 20:00 Kazakhstan time. The counting of votes and the preparation of the voting results protocol by precinct election commissions will begin at 20:00 Kazakhstan time, unless another closing time for voting has been established.
A total of 336 international observers from 10 organizations and 27 central election commissions of foreign states are expected to take part in monitoring the referendum. The referendum will also be covered by 185 representatives of 68 media outlets from 31 countries.
As Qazinform News Agency reported earlier, the final draft of the New Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan was published on February 12, 2026.