"Spreading False Information Contrary to the Facts,
Continuous Slander Through Press Releases and Other Media"
The Democratic Party's Naso Yeol campaign committee filed a complaint against People Power Party candidate Jang Donghyuk for spreading false information. Photo by Asia Economy DB
On April 9, Naso Yeol, the Democratic Party candidate running in Boryeong and Seocheon, South Chungcheong Province, announced that he had filed a complaint with the Boryeong City Election Commission against People Power Party candidate Jang Donghyuk on charges of spreading false information.
Naso Yeol's campaign committee issued a press release that day, stating, "Candidate Jang took the microphone on a campaign vehicle and falsely claimed that (Naso Yeol) lives in a picturesque house built on an 800-pyeong plot of land, disseminating information that is not true. He has continued to slander our candidate through press releases and various promotional media."
The committee further criticized, "Without verifying the facts, the candidate himself exaggerated the size of the property and misled the public as if a new house had been built, in order to exploit this issue for electoral gain."
They added, "The apartment previously owned was sold to purchase a 510-pyeong plot of land and a field of about 330 pyeong. Of the 510-pyeong land, a 45-pyeong single-family house that had already been built on approximately 200 pyeong was purchased."
The Public Official Election Act stipulates that anyone who spreads false information for the purpose of electing or defeating a candidate is subject to imprisonment for up to five years or a fine of up to 30 million won, according to Article 250 of the Act regarding the crime of announcing false facts.
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