Democratic Party Damyang County Mayor Candidates' Poll Distortion Sparks Debate Over 'Police Report and Political Retirement'

This Preliminary Candidate Says, "Candidates Focused on Negativity Without Policy or Vision Should Immediately Leave Politics"

Preliminary Candidate Kim Demands "Preliminary Candidate Lee Byeongno's Voluntary Withdrawal"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Chunsu] Candidates in the Democratic Party's Jeonnam Damyang County Governor primary for the June 1 local elections are showing intense conflict as they demand investigations and political retirement over allegations of opinion poll manipulation on the 3rd.

Lee Byeongno, a Democratic Party preliminary candidate for Damyang County Governor, strongly condemned a rival candidate who continues to make unreasonable claims ignoring the party's decision, despite the central party having finalized the "three-person primary method" for the Damyang County Governor candidate.

In a statement on the 3rd, Lee Byeongno said, "Kim Jeongo's behavior, which uses distorted reports as a pretext to disrupt the party's important decision-making process of the primary and engage in a mudslinging fight, admits that he no longer qualifies as a candidate. Stop acting disgracefully, immediately resign from the candidacy, and leave politics," directly criticizing him.

Lee also accused, "Kim Jeongo's unreasonable behavior not only disregards the party's decision-making system but also amounts to an act of obstructing the party's work."

Earlier, Kim Jeongo, a preliminary candidate, demanded "Lee Byeongno's voluntary withdrawal" even after the central party's emergency committee confirmed the "three-person primary for Damyang County Governor."

On the 2nd, Kim Jeongo issued a press release stating, "The mobile phone billing address change opinion manipulation case is a clear criminal act. I warn candidate Lee Byeongno to apologize to the Damyang residents and voluntarily withdraw by 3 p.m. on the 3rd," threatening to file a complaint with investigative authorities if he does not resign.

The mobile phone billing address change opinion manipulation refers to, for example, if a person residing in Gwangju changes their mobile phone billing address to Damyang, they can participate in the Damyang County Governor opinion poll, which Kim claims is opinion manipulation.

Kim added, "The criminal act of the mobile phone billing address change opinion manipulation case will inevitably result in a guilty verdict," and "I strongly condemn the behind-the-scenes forces of the Democratic Party central emergency committee that continue to support such a flawed person as a primary candidate."

In response, Lee Byeongno dismissed the issue raised by Kim Jeongo, saying, "The matter Kim Jeongo is raising is nothing more than distorted reporting that falsely portrays guiding an acquaintance on how to participate in the opinion poll as opinion manipulation, done as a voter to help make a proper judgment."

He further emphasized, "The Jeonnam Provincial Party Public Official Recommendation Committee and the central party emergency committee conducted fact-finding investigations based on evidence and legal review materials proving distortion," and "Therefore, the Jeonnam Provincial Party Public Official Recommendation Committee, which includes many former prosecutors turned lawyers, as well as the emergency committee, judged that the suspicions raised by some within the party were sufficiently clarified and decided again on the three-person primary."

He also pointed out, "Kim's claim that 'a conscientious insider who reported to the media met me (Kim Jeongo) and confessed that the Lee Byeongno side manipulated public opinion' only admits his involvement in political manipulation," adding, "Rather, Kim should explain the suspicions of political manipulation."

Lee criticized, "Despite thorough verification resolving the suspicions, Kim conceals his contradictory behavior, indulges in all kinds of slander and black propaganda, and now shamelessly threatens to file complaints if forced to resign."

He continued, "A candidate who does not acknowledge the party's decision-making structure and keeps nitpicking the same issue repeatedly should relinquish not only the Damyang County Governor candidacy but also party membership," condemning him.

He further stated, "Without policy or vision, solely relying on fake news, false agitation, and negative strategies, he has admitted to being the ultimate representative of vested political interests trying to drag this crucial election, which will decide Damyang's future, into the mud," and "If he has any conscience left for the Damyang residents who even supported him as the county council chairman, he should stop acting disgracefully and leave politics."

Finally, he appealed, "Various malicious suspicions raised by rival candidates have been sufficiently resolved by decisions from the Jeonnam Provincial Party and the central party emergency committee," and "As I have consistently led policy elections presenting visions for a new Damyang, I will be a candidate who talks about Damyang's future hope and receive the choice of the residents," asking for continued support.

A Damyang resident, Mr. A, watching this situation said, "It is an act of disrespect to Damyang residents to still show conflict over the primary method after the party's decision confirmed the three-person primary," and "Such behavior lowers the dignity of Damyang residents nationwide. I hope all candidates, regardless of who they are, will participate in the primary fairly and squarely," expressing his feelings.