'Election Cost Embezzlement' People Power Party Local Election Candidate Fined

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] A candidate in their 20s for a basic council member position who did not return election expenses to their affiliated party has been fined.

On the 21st, according to the legal community, Judge Kim Hye-jin of the Gwangju District Court Criminal Division 1 sentenced Jeong Hyun-ro (24), who was indicted for violating the Political Funds Act, to a fine of 500,000 won.

Jeong was prosecuted for failing to return a total of 4.79 million won in deposits and election expenses, which were returned and reimbursed by the Election Commission last year, to his affiliated party within the deadline.

Jeong covered the deposits and election expenses with party support funds and later received partial reimbursement of that amount from the Election Commission.

Under current law, the reimbursed amount must be returned to the affiliated party within 20 days from the date of reimbursement, but he neglected his obligation without justifiable reason.

Meanwhile, Jeong ran as a People Power Party candidate in the 8th nationwide simultaneous local elections for the Nam-gu Council of Gwangju Metropolitan City and was defeated. He received 11.96% of the vote and was reimbursed 50% of the deposit and election expenses by the Election Commission.