Investigation Launched After Defamatory Leaflets Against Preliminary Candidate Circulate in Gunwi, Gyeongbuk

Leaflets containing black propaganda circulating in the Gunwi area.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] Ahead of the nationwide simultaneous local elections, leaflets defaming a specific candidate circulated in Gunwi-gun, Gyeongbuk, prompting the police to launch an investigation.

According to the campaign team of Kim Jin-yeol, the People Power Party's preliminary candidate for Gunwi-gun governor, since the 26th of last month, leaflets defaming candidate Kim have been indiscriminately distributed around Gunwi-eup, leading them to file a complaint with the Gunwi Police Station and the Gunwi Election Commission.

The leaflets contained a drawing of a bat along with the claim that "Candidate Kim was active in a specific party but applied for nomination from another party depending on the election results."

About 100 leaflets were found at the Gunwi National Sports Center and major roads.

Candidate Kim's team argued that the contents of the leaflets were baseless black propaganda.

Additionally, false posts were reportedly published on SNS supporting competing candidates. Targeting Kim, who is engaged in livestock farming, posts claimed that "the stench from the pigsty is causing damage to Gunwi," disparaging him.

Kim's campaign team stated, "This is the first time in Gunwi's election history that such an incident has occurred, and we cannot help but worry that the election will turn into a mudslinging battle," adding, "This is clearly an organized election manipulation and a violation of the Public Official Election Act."

A Gunwi Police Station official said, "We are investigating this case together with the Gunwi Election Commission."

In the People Power Party's Gunwi-gun governor election, two candidates, current governor Kim Young-man and Kim Jin-yeol, the head of the Livestock Cooperative, have applied for nomination. The People Power Party Gyeongbuk Provincial Party Nomination Management Committee will decide the final candidate through a two-day opinion poll targeting party members and the general public on the 6th and 7th.