[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Officials from the United Future Party's Election Countermeasures Committee visited the National Election Commission (NEC) and raised their voices in protest, claiming the NEC is biased.
On the 25th, Sim Jae-cheol, the floor leader of the United Future Party, visited the NEC office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, and protested, saying, "We have no choice but to judge that the NEC is 'biased' and 'somewhat excessive.'"
Sim said, "Why is the election not being managed properly and fairly, and why is it so one-sided? Is the NEC just an administrative agency?" He added, "It seems like the personnel authority is being controlled, and they are acting one-sidedly like people who are cautious about their positions. We are very concerned about such behavior."
The United Future Party previously raised concerns about 'authoritarian election interference,' claiming that pro-government civic groups such as the University Student Progressive Alliance (Daejin-yeon) have been obstructing the election campaigns of key figures like candidate Oh Se-hoon, while the NEC and police have been turning a blind eye.
Park Hyung-joon, co-chairman of the joint election committee, also protested, saying, "I have always thought that our country's NEC is the most capable and fair organization in the world and have taken pride in it, but looking at recent events, isn't the NEC responding too passively to the election situation?" He added, "If election interference is simply overlooked, the election cannot be conducted properly."
In response, Park Young-soo, Secretary General of the NEC, rebutted, "It is difficult to accept the claims that election management is unfair or passive," and said, "It is not desirable for the political circles and media to create an atmosphere of distrust toward the NEC from a national perspective."
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