Police Search Iksan City Hall... Mayor Jeong Suspected of 'Abusing Position for Election Purposes'

Checking report content on 'Instructions not to impose fines ahead of election'

The police conducted a search and seizure in Iksan City on the 26th to verify allegations of violation of the Public Official Election Act by Jeonbuk Province Governor Jeong Heon-yul.

The Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Unit of the Jeonbuk Provincial Police Agency sent investigators to Iksan City Hall on the same day and secured related documents and evidence from two offices, including the Traffic Administration Division and the Public Relations Officer's Office, from 9 a.m. to noon.

Jung Heon-yul, Mayor of Iksan.
Photo by Iksan City

This search and seizure is known to have been initiated by the police as a forced investigation to verify the facts of a media report that Governor Jeong instructed not to impose fines because it would affect the election ahead of the 7th nationwide simultaneous local elections in 2018.

Earlier, in April, the police had also conducted a search and seizure at Iksan City Hall on suspicion that a public official and a journalist made threatening personnel requests to the appointing authority, saying they would expose Governor Jeong's improper instructions if they were not returned to their original positions. It is reported that during the ongoing investigation, the police additionally detected allegations of violation of the Public Official Election Act by Governor Jeong.

The police will conduct digital forensic work on the seized items obtained that day and will soon summon related persons to investigate the specific circumstances.

A police official said, "We are conducting an investigation to confirm whether the official used their position to influence the public election," adding, "Since this is an ongoing investigation, we cannot disclose detailed information."

Meanwhile, the statute of limitations for the Public Official Election Act is six months from the election day. However, if a public official violates the election law by abusing their position, the statute of limitations is extended to 10 years.