[News Incident] Cheong, Ulsan Mayor Election Interference 'An Unextinguished Ember'

Allegations of Election Interference by Moon Government Cheong Wa Dae
Song Cheol-ho, Hwang Un-ha, Baek Won-woo Partially Guilty in First Trial
Appeal Intent Expressed, but Possible Spread to Higher Cheong Officials

"Election interference is a very serious offense."

In relation to the 2018 Ulsan mayoral election interference suspicion case, the court handed down a ‘partial guilty’ verdict in the first trial. The reason why the political circles in Yeouido are on high alert is due to the sensitivity of the matter.

The court defined it as "an act of privately using the public functions of the police organization and the Presidential Secretariat for their own political interests to influence the exercise of voting rights."

Since this case involves current opposition figures centered around the Moon Jae-in administration’s Blue House, the political repercussions are expected to be significant. Song Cheol-ho, former mayor of Ulsan, who was sentenced to three years in prison for violating the Public Official Election Act, is a close associate of former President Moon Jae-in. Hwang Un-ha, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea (and former chief of the Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency), was also sentenced to three years in prison.

Former Ulsan Mayor Song Cheol-ho is attending the sentencing trial for allegations of the Blue House's interference in the Ulsan mayoral election and violations of the Public Official Election Act at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-dong, Seoul on the 29th. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

Baek Won-woo, former Blue House civil affairs secretary, was sentenced to two years in prison. Although they avoided immediate imprisonment in court, the fact that actual prison sentences were handed down is noteworthy.

This case involves allegations that during the 2018 Ulsan mayoral election, Blue House officials conspired to conduct a directed investigation aimed at causing the defeat of former Ulsan Mayor Kim Gi-hyeon (currently leader of the People Power Party). At that time, Song Cheol-ho, the Democratic Party candidate for Ulsan mayor, won with 52.9% of the vote, defeating Kim Gi-hyeon of the Liberty Korea Party, who received 40.1%.

However, suspicions arose that the Blue House Civil Affairs Office improperly interfered in the election.

Hwang Unha, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the sentencing trial for the 'alleged involvement of the Blue House in the Ulsan mayoral election' violation of the Public Official Election Act at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-dong, Seoul, on the 29th. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

The prosecution indicted in January 2020, and the first trial verdict was delivered after three years and ten months. The suspicion that the Blue House Civil Affairs Office requested the police to investigate the so-called ‘Kim Gi-hyeon document’ was judged guilty in the first trial. On the other hand, allegations that the Blue House supported Song Cheol-ho’s campaign promises or bribed competitors in the primary election were judged not guilty.

Song, the former mayor and the main suspect, and Representative Hwang have expressed their intention to appeal the partially guilty verdict. While awaiting the appellate court’s decision, the situation remains serious. Song is a figure with a special connection to former President Moon.

This is a case where even Blue House officials from the Moon Jae-in administration were sentenced to prison. If the suspicion of interference in the Ulsan mayoral election, which had remained unresolved, is confirmed as fact, political responsibility could extend to higher levels.

Depending on the circumstances, this could emerge as a factor that changes the flow of the 22nd general election scheduled for April next year. The People Power Party is currently demanding a full reinvestigation. The political risk originating from Ulsan, which many had forgotten, has cast a shadow over the opposition party’s general election plans.