Allow Seizure and Injunction with First Instance Judgment
Include Penal Provisions for Imprisonment and Fines in Case of Evasion
A bill has been proposed to prevent the Democratic Party, which would have to return 43.4 billion won in presidential election expenses if the first trial ruling on Lee Jae-myung's violation of election law is finally confirmed, from evading compulsory execution through illegal means.
Joo Jin-woo, a member of the People Power Party who is the chief sponsor of the partial amendment to the Public Official Election Act, said at a press conference at the National Assembly on the 27th, "Even if the party is split or members switch to another party, the obligation to return 43.4 billion won of public funds will be transferred," adding, "To recover the public funds used for the presidential election, even a first trial ruling before the final judgment will allow seizure or provisional disposition as preservation measures."
Under current law, the Democratic Party must return 43.4 billion won in presidential election expenses paid with public funds if Lee, the party leader, is sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year suspension of execution for violating election law on the 15th, and the sentence is finalized after the final trial.
Representative Joo also included a punishment provision in the bill that imposes imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million won if someone hides or evades assets to avoid the obligation to return the funds.
Joo said, "Fair elections are the core that supports democracy, and it is unacceptable that the ruling Democratic Party not only violated election law but also tries to avoid returning election expenses through tricks," adding, "This amendment is a bill that obligates 'all political parties' that violate election law to return funds according to the law, so the Democratic Party should duly agree to this as well."
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