Citizens Party and Democratic Party's Kim Young-bae Search: "Prosecutors' Clear Election Interference"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jin-young] The Democratic Party's proportional alliance party, the Deobureo Citizen Party, criticized the search and seizure of Democratic Party candidate Kim Young-bae as a "clear election intervention." On the 1st, the prosecution conducted a search and seizure at the election office of candidate Kim, who ran in Seongbuk-gap, Seoul.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Democratic Party lawmaker Yoo Seung-hee, who lost to candidate Kim in the primary, previously filed a complaint against Kim last month for violating the Public Official Election Act, alleging that Kim instructed respondents to lie about their age or address to obtain favorable results in the nomination suitability survey.

Jung Pil-mo, chief spokesperson of the Citizen Party, issued a statement on the day, saying, "This is not a matter for the prosecution to suddenly conduct a search and seizure with the election just around the corner."

Chief spokesperson Jung pointed out, "This issue arose due to a complaint by a candidate from the same party who lost in the primary. In other words, it is an internal party matter, a family matter," adding, "The prosecution's intention does not seem pure at all. There is a sinister motive."

He said, "This is not political prosecution but prosecution politics. It is a clear election intervention," and added, "There are hundreds of candidates nationwide who lost in the primary. If they each file complaints against opposing candidates, will the prosecution search all the offices of all National Assembly candidates nationwide?"

He continued, "The prosecution delayed the 'Prosecutor General's mother-in-law case' and the 'Ulsan whale meat case' for years. This duplicity clearly shows why prosecution reform and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials are necessary," and warned, "We sternly warn them to exercise restraint."