Statement: "I removed them for no particular reason"
Report also filed for "Jjit" post-it note attached
As the 21st presidential election approaches, a series of incidents involving the defacement of candidate posters have occurred in Gwangju, prompting a police investigation.
On May 16, the Gwangju Nambu Police Station announced that it had booked a man in his 50s, identified as A, without detention on suspicion of violating the Public Official Election Act.
Election campaign posters of candidates installed in Geumho-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju ahead of the 21st presidential election. Photo by Song Bohyun
A is accused of tearing down posters of seven presidential candidates that were attached to the exterior wall of an apartment building in Wolsan-dong, Nam-gu, Gwangju, at around 3 p.m. on May 15, the fourth day of the election campaign period. During this incident, some of the posters were ripped and fell to the ground, resulting in damage.
During police questioning, A reportedly stated, "I saw the posters and removed them for no particular reason."
On the same day, at around 9:15 p.m., a report was filed that a post-it note had been attached to the campaign poster of Lee Jaemyung, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate, at a commercial building in Geumho-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju. The yellow post-it note had the word "Jjit" written on it and was found attached above the candidate's name.
The police are investigating the circumstances of both incidents, including whether they constitute violations of the Public Official Election Act.
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