‘False Information Dissemination’ District Mayor Candidate Fined 6 Million Won Confirmed

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] A district mayoral candidate who was prosecuted for spreading false information about a competing candidate ahead of the 2018 local elections has been sentenced to a fine.

The Supreme Court's 3rd Division (Presiding Justice Oh Seok-jun) announced on the 19th that it upheld the lower court's ruling sentencing Mr. A, who was indicted for violating the Public Official Election Act and defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act, to a fine of 6 million won. Mr. B, the election manager who was tried together, was fined 5 million won.

Mr. A was indicted for posting defamatory articles about a competing candidate on the internet in April 2018 and sending the same content via text messages to about 7,000 voters in the electoral district.

He was investigated for posting false statements such as "District council members from the same school hold key positions and receive 10-15% kickbacks from construction contracts to increase their wealth and become wealthy," and "The former district mayor summoned people to coerce them into supporting a specific candidate."

The first and second trials sentenced him to a fine of 6 million won, stating that "the rumors could not be proven and there was intent and purpose to defame." However, they acquitted him on the grounds that the specific candidate's wealth did not increase and that it could be perceived as a 'close aide.'

The Supreme Court also agreed with the lower courts' judgment.