Candidate Kim Han-jong for Jangseong County Governor, Controversy Over Non-Return of Past Election Law Violation State Refund

After Winning in 2010, Disqualified... Refuses to Return 32 Million Won Election Expenses

Residents "Doubt Even Democratic Party Nomination Criteria"... Candidate Kim's Side "Will Cover with Donations and Volunteering"

[Jangseong=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jo Hangyu] Kim Han-jong, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for Jangseong County Governor in Jeonnam, is causing a stir in the local community as it has been revealed that he is running in this election again without repaying election expenses that should have been returned in past elections.

After an election ends, the government supports election expenses based on the vote rate, but if the election is invalidated due to a violation of election laws, the supported expenses must be returned.

Candidate Kim ran as a member of the Millennium Democratic Party in 2002 and was elected. Since then, he lost in the proportional representation election for Jangseong County Council member and the Jangseong County Governor by-election, and was re-elected as a member of the Jeonnam Provincial Assembly in 2010 and 2018 as a member of the Democratic Party.

The problem arose when, upon his 2010 election, he was confirmed to have lost his election due to a sentence invalidating his election for spreading false information about a specific candidate.

At that time, he was supposed to return 32 million won in election expenses but did not, and after the five-year statute of limitations passed, he was freed from legal responsibility.

As this fact became known, local residents are doubting Candidate Kim’s moral qualifications.

A county resident, Mr. Kim, said, “It is shocking that a person who has not paid back a single won of the return money due to election law violations, not some other crime, has again received the Democratic Party’s nomination and is running,” adding, “Not only Candidate Kim but also the Democratic Party’s criteria for nominations are questionable.”

In response, a representative from Candidate Kim’s side said, “The candidate was unable to pay at the time due to difficult circumstances, and when he tried to pay later, it was said to have been written off as a loss,” and “If elected as county governor, he plans to make donations or fulfill the amount through volunteer activities.”

Meanwhile, the Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters attempted to contact Candidate Kim Han-jong but was unable to reach him.

Jangseong=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jo Hangyu chg6001@asiae.co.kr