[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] On the day of the April 7 by-election, an announcement saying "Be sure to vote this time" was made at an apartment in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Some residents reported to 112, claiming that the word 'this time' sounded like 'Candidate No. 2,' leading the police to start an investigation.
According to the police on the 9th, at around 10 a.m. on the 7th, the residents' representative meeting of Apartment A in Umyeon-dong, Seocho-gu, made an announcement saying, "Please be sure to vote this time and show the strength of Apartment A. You must vote this time to show the will of our residents."
Some residents reportedly reported to the police that the expression 'this time' sounded like a message to vote for Candidate No. 2, Oh Se-hoon of the People Power Party, suggesting a possible violation of the Public Official Election Act.
Democratic Party members of the Seocho District Council, Ahn Jong-sook and Heo Eun, who received the residents' report, also filed a complaint with the Seocho District Election Commission to request a review of the legality.
A police official stated, "We are currently in the fact-finding investigation stage," adding, "If the Election Commission interprets this broadcast as illegal and requests a police investigation, the 112 report case will be combined and investigated."
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