"Criticism of 'Poor Excuse' in Clarification of False Information Dissemination"
[Yeongam=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Jae-kyung] Woo Seung-hee, a preliminary candidate for the Democratic Party’s Yeongam County Governor primary in Jeonnam, has been embroiled in controversy over organized election fraud, including spreading false information and encouraging double voting.
As media reports continue to reveal that he instructed how to cast double votes and encouraged organized election fraud, criticism appears to be intensifying.
It has been reported that Woo recently instructed supporters to exploit a loophole where even registered party members participating in the primary could receive random phone calls for general citizen voting, thereby enabling double voting.
Residents who view this unfavorably are presenting recorded evidence of the encouragement for double voting and inducement text messages as proof.
Criticism has also arisen over a post Woo uploaded on social media (SNS) Facebook on the 26th of last month.
According to the 2021 public institution integrity assessment results announced by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission in December last year, Yeongam County received an overall integrity rating of Grade 2. When distinguishing between internal and external integrity, external integrity was rated Grade 2, whereas internal integrity was marked as Grade 4.
However, Woo posted on SNS without distinguishing between internal and external ratings, indicating a Grade 4 integrity rating, and uploaded a negative post about preliminary candidate Jeon Dong-pyeong, claiming that the autocratic leader’s abuses are severe.
Currently, the camp of former candidate Jeon has requested a retrial from the Democratic Party Central Committee regarding the double voting controversy in the Yeongam County Governor primary, and the Central Committee is reportedly planning to make a decision on whether to proceed with the primary based on the investigation materials.
In response, Woo issued an urgent statement on the 2nd, saying, “The card news related to registered party member voting was reviewed and approved through the Yeongam County Election Commission,” and “It is content used by most preliminary candidates for local government heads in the Democratic Party’s primary process and is not related to any violation of election laws.”
He also claimed, “We intend to strongly respond to the spreading of false information and defamation, and the retrial request by preliminary candidate Jeon Dong-pyeong has hurt party members and residents.”
Meanwhile, under the current Public Official Election Act, instructing or inducing double voting in primary opinion polls violates Article 108, Paragraph 11 of the Public Official Election Act, and publishing false information with the intent to cause defeat in party primaries is punishable under Article 250, Paragraph 3 of the Public Official Election Act.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
