Gyeongnam Election Commission Reports Two Individuals for Illegal Donations Ahead of Cooperative Head Election

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] The Gyeongnam Provincial Election Commission has reported two individuals to the police for violating the Entrusted Election Act in relation to the 3rd Nationwide Simultaneous Cooperative Association Head Election.

The Gyeongnam Provincial Election Commission announced on the 31st that these individuals committed violations of the Act on Entrusted Elections for Public Organizations, etc. (Entrusted Election Act).

According to the provincial election commission, Mr. A is suspected of making statements supporting a prospective candidate to nine cooperative members around mid-January and providing fruit boxes worth a total of 280,000 KRW as holiday gifts.

Mr. B, a prospective candidate, is suspected of visiting the homes of 13 cooperative members around mid-January, introducing himself while providing business cards and goods, and leaving goods when no one was home, thereby providing goods worth a total of 50,000 KRW.

The provincial election commission filed complaints against the two individuals who made donations on the 30th and 31st, respectively.

Gyeongsangnam-do Election Commission.
Photo by Lee Seryeong

According to Article 24 (Subjects, Period, and Methods of Election Campaigning) of the Entrusted Election Act, no one except candidates may conduct election campaigning by any means, and election campaigning is limited to the period from the day after the candidate registration deadline to the day before the election.

According to Article 32 (Definition of Donation Acts) and Article 35 (Restriction on Donation Acts) of the same law, no one may make or cause to be made donations to voters (including those qualified to be on the voter list before the voter list is prepared) or their families for the candidate during the donation restriction period related to the entrusted election.

Article 38 (Restriction on House-to-House Visits, etc.) of the same law stipulates that no one may visit voters house-by-house or gather them at a specific place for election campaigning.

The donation restriction period for this cooperative association head election is from September 21 of last year to March 8 of this year.

A representative of the provincial election commission said, “We are strengthening prevention and crackdown activities before and after the Seollal holiday, thoroughly investigating acts of providing gifts such as holiday presents, and taking strict measures. We are focusing all the commission’s capabilities to eradicate money politics in this cooperative association head election.”

He added, “We plan to provide rewards to those who report or tip off serious election crimes such as providing money or goods, so please actively report and tip off.”