Democratic Party: "President Yoon's Accusation... Demanding Han Dong-hoon's Resignation Violates Election Law"

"Violation of Public Official Election Act Articles 9 and 85"

The Democratic Party of Korea announced on the 28th that it will file a complaint against President Yoon Seok-yeol, claiming that the presidential office's demand for Han Dong-hoon, the Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, to resign constitutes a violation of the Public Official Election Act.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Seo Young-kyo, Chairperson of the Democratic Party's Election Intervention Countermeasures Committee, stated at the first meeting held at the National Assembly that day, "The presidential office, through the Chief Secretary, conveyed the president's intention by telling the People Power Party's Emergency Response Committee Chairman to resign," adding, "There is discomfort regarding the president's feelings about whether to nominate Kim Kyung-yul as an Emergency Response Committee member in Mapo." She continued, "It has become widely known that the presidential office intervened in the People Power Party's nominations," and explained, "This is a violation of Articles 9 and 85 of the Public Official Election Act. The scope of the complaint includes the president and related parties."

The Democratic Party also argued that President Yoon's regional schedules and policy announcements indicate an intention to interfere in the election, thus constituting illegality. Representative Kim Seung-won criticized, "The areas where President Yoon received the New Year's work reports?Suwon, Yongin, Goyang, Uijeongbu, Yeouido in Seoul, and Dongdaemun?are regions where the People Power Party has focused as battlegrounds," adding, "There are reports that wherever President Yoon goes is a key site for the general election. Is the presidential office acting as an election campaign office? This is truly escalating."

Representative So Byung-chul stated, "President Yoon and Chairman Han are showing behavior that spares no means or methods for photo opportunities and the general election," and added, "Even local government heads are involved in election intervention. If local government heads engage in illegal acts, they will all be punished under criminal law in about three years, or even sooner."