The Election Commission Allows Posting of 'Lee Jae-myung Not Allowed' Banners... Reverses Decision

"Application of Public Official Election Act in a Way That Broadly Guarantees Freedom of Expression"

The National Election Commission reversed its previous decision on the 23rd to prohibit the posting of banners criticizing Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and allowed the posting.

The National Election Commission reversed its decision on the 23rd to prohibit the posting of a banner criticizing Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. Previously, the National Election Commission had decided to disallow a banner by People Power Party lawmaker Jeong Yeon-wook. Yonhap News

On the same day, after concluding a meeting of election commissioners at the Gwacheon headquarters of the National Election Commission, the commission issued a press release stating, "Considering that the Constitutional Court's impeachment trial decision is still ongoing and that the phrase 'Lee Jae-myung is not acceptable' could be seen as a simple political slogan, we have determined that it does not constitute preliminary electioneering," thus announcing the decision.

Previously, the commission allowed the posting of a banner by the Joguk Innovation Party in the constituency of People Power Party lawmaker Jeong Yeon-wook, which read, "Treason ringleader Yoon Seok-yeol impeachment non-participation, Jeong Yeon-wook is also an accomplice to treason!" but prohibited the posting of a banner by lawmaker Jeong that said, "Still! Lee Jae-myung is not acceptable!"

At that time, the commission judged that the banner criticizing Lee Jae-myung constituted preliminary electioneering under the Public Official Election Act, aimed at causing his defeat, considering the possibility of an early presidential election, and thus decided to prohibit its posting.

The commission explained in the materials that "taking into account social changes and public expectations, we have decided to operate the violation of the election campaign period under the Public Official Election Act in a way that broadly guarantees freedom of political expression."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 20th.

However, the commission also stated that under the Public Official Election Act, from 120 days before the election day (or from the time the reason for a by-election is confirmed), posting banners with the same content may be prohibited. Article 90 of the Public Official Election Act stipulates that banners containing the name or number of a prospective candidate are considered acts influencing the election and cannot be posted from 120 days before the election day.

Earlier, the People Power Party criticized the commission, saying, "The commission made the prohibition decision based on the assumption that the impeachment trial would be accepted and an early presidential election would take place," and called it a "double standard" that allowed the banner saying "accomplice to treason" but prohibited the People Power Party's banner. The People Power Party also claimed that the phrase "accomplice to treason," which the commission allowed as a simple political slogan, defamed them by stating legally unconfirmed matters, and began a self-conducted full survey of banners nationwide.