The prosecution indicted a total of 1,019 people, including 14 incumbent members of the National Assembly, on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act in the 22nd National Assembly election held last April.
On the 11th, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office announced that out of the total 3,101 people investigated (13 detained) related to election offenses in the 22nd general election, 1,019 were prosecuted by the statute of limitations deadline on the 10th. Among the indicted winners, 10 belonged to the Democratic Party and 4 to the People Power Party.
The types of crimes committed by the 14 indicted winners were ▲spreading false information and black propaganda (6 people) ▲money election offenses (3 people) ▲violation of primary election campaign methods (1 person) ▲prohibition of publicizing opinion polls (1 person) ▲false responses in opinion polls (1 person) ▲use of loudspeakers (1 person) ▲house-to-house visits (1 person), among others.
Compared to the 21st general election, the total number of people investigated increased by 7.9% (227 people) from 2,874 to 3,101, but the number of prosecutions decreased by 11.7% (135 people) from 1,154 to 1,019. The prosecution rate also dropped from 40.2% to 32.9%.
Looking at the number of people investigated by type, there were 1,107 (35.7%) for spreading false information and black propaganda offenses, 384 (12.4%) for money election offenses, 364 (11.7%) for election violence and obstruction offenses, and 90 (2.9%) for public officials and organization-related offenses, in that order.
A prosecution official stated, “The prosecution will thoroughly maintain the prosecution to ensure that sentences corresponding to the illegality are imposed in ongoing trials, and will make every effort to ensure that verdicts are delivered within the trial period stipulated by the Public Official Election Act for election offense cases.”
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