[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hye-min] On the 7th, Kim Hak-yong, the United Future Party candidate for Anseong City, Gyeonggi Province, filed a complaint against his competitor Lee Gyu-min of the Democratic Party of Korea at the Anseong City Election Commission. Kim stated, "It is on the charge of publishing false information in the booklet-type election manifesto distributed to all voters in the electoral district."
According to Kim, Lee published on page 10 of the election manifesto that "Representative Kim Hak-yong rides a bike and proposed a bill allowing bikes to enter highways." Kim said, "What I proposed was to allow passage on motor vehicle-only roads only for bikes exceeding 260cc engine displacement," adding, "This is a malicious act that causes misunderstanding by implying that I proposed a bill allowing bikes to ride on highways just because I ride a bike, even though the Road Traffic Act clearly distinguishes between highways and motor vehicle-only roads."
He said, "Allowing bikes to enter highways is an unreasonable matter that could cause traffic accidents from the perspective of common sense, and it is intended to criticize me as a person who proposed an unreasonable bill," adding, "It could have a direct adverse effect on the election." He also said, "I can no longer tolerate the act of spreading false information to bring down the opponent," and "I requested the Election Commission to file a complaint with the authorities, revealing that it is false under Article 110-2 of the Public Official Election Act."
Kim also pointed out another case of false information publication.
He said regarding Lee's publication on page 10 of the election manifesto that "Representative Kim Hak-yong is a member of the National Assembly’s Environment and Labor Committee, and the wastewater from SK Hynix in Yongin is planned to be discharged into Anseong," "It was published in a way that misleads voters to believe that I condoned or neglected this or that I am responsible for it," adding, "This is likely to infringe on social values or evaluations and could negatively affect the election results, so I requested the Election Commission to file a complaint."
Kim explained, "At the end of 2019 and in February 2020, I repeatedly met with officials from the Hangang River Basin Environmental Office, which is responsible for environmental impact assessments, to express my opinions to prevent the discharge of wastewater from Yongin," adding, "The plan to discharge wastewater from the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster General Industrial Complex into Anseong is a matter confirmed through consultations with related agencies and environmental impact assessments, but this plan was already rejected at the environmental impact assessment consultation stage by the Hangang River Basin Environmental Office, and there are currently no ongoing administrative procedures or confirmed plans."
He claimed, "Publishing as if the wastewater discharge into Anseong has been confirmed without obtaining permits corresponds to the publication of false information for the purpose of losing the election."
Furthermore, regarding Lee’s publication in the election manifesto stating "During the 22 years when Kim Hak-yong was a provincial assembly member and a National Assembly member, housing prices fell and population stagnated," Kim said, "From 1995, when I was elected as a Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly member, until the end of March this year, the population increased by 59,000, the comprehensive housing sale price increased by 39.97%, and apartment sale prices increased by 37.65%," calling it "a clear falsehood."
Kim added, "According to Article 250, Paragraph 2 of the Public Official Election Act, if false information unfavorable to a candidate is published in speeches, broadcasts, newspapers, communications, magazines, or posters with the intent to prevent election, the offender may face up to 7 years imprisonment or a fine of up to 30 million won."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
