‘Violation of Public Official Election Act’ Kim Jeongsuk, Hamangun Council Member, Disqualified in First Trial

Court: "The difference in votes with the losing candidate is small, so the nature of the crime is not light"

Kim Jeong-suk, the vice chairman of the Haman County Council, who was prosecuted for violating the Public Official Election Act, was sentenced to a disqualification from election in the first trial.

Kim was indicted last November for conducting pre-election campaigning by visiting neighbors door-to-door in the apartment where she resides.

Kim Jeong-suk, Vice Chairman of the Haman County Council.

Chief Judge Kang Ji-woong of the 1st Criminal Division at Changwon Branch Masan Branch sentenced Kim and her family member A, who were indicted for violating the Public Official Election Act (door-to-door visits and distribution of documents by illegal methods), to a fine of 1 million won each.

Kim is accused of visiting 390 out of 450 households in an apartment in Haman where she lives on May 26 last year, one day before the early voting for the 8th nationwide simultaneous local elections, together with her relative A, distributing business cards.

They conducted election campaigning by ringing doorbells during their door-to-door visits, handing business cards to those who answered to solicit support, and if no one came out, they inserted the cards above the doorbell or on the city gas inspection sheet.

Current law prohibits door-to-door visits for election campaigning and forbids distributing printed materials by methods not specified in the regulations.

The court stated, "Since the difference in votes between the losing candidate and the winner was small, the illegal election campaigning had a considerable impact on the election," and explained the sentencing by saying, "Considering the purpose of the Public Official Election Act to ensure transparency and fairness in elections, the nature of the crime is by no means light."

If an elected public official is sentenced to a fine of 1 million won or more for violating the Public Official Election Act, their election is invalidated.