PPP: "Democratic Party Spreads False Information on 'Jim Rogers' Support for Lee'"
Democratic Party: "Libak School's Cyber Rebellion Is Ruining the Presidential Election"
On the day before the 21st presidential election, on the 6th, the Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party ignited a final round of heated exchanges. The People Power Party has launched a full-scale offensive against the Democratic Party, which recently claimed that "legendary American investor Jim Rogers, chairman of Rogers Holdings, declared his support for Democratic Party candidate Lee Jaemyung," denouncing it as "public opinion manipulation." Meanwhile, the Democratic Party has focused on highlighting the relationship between the far-right group "Libak School," which is suspected of orchestrating comment manipulation, and People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moonsoo.
On the morning of June 2, Jang Donghyuk, chief of the People Power Party's Central Election Countermeasures Committee Situation Room, held an emergency press conference at the party's headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul. He argued that this was "a clear case of the habitual and chronic 'shock issue manipulation project' by the Democratic Party, constituting the crime of disseminating false information," and called for the resignation of candidate Lee.
Jang stated, "It was a bizarre declaration of support in an obviously strange format, and it reeked of clumsy fabrication. He seems to be an international fraud presidential candidate, a voice phishing presidential candidate. If such a person represents Korea on the diplomatic stage with world leaders, our country will inevitably become a laughingstock."
Kwon Seongdong, floor leader of the People Power Party, also criticized on Facebook, saying, "Lee Jaemyung's criminal group has brought their domestic habits abroad and caused a major international embarrassment." Kim Yongtae, acting chairman of the emergency committee, emphasized at a Central Election Committee meeting held at the Busan branch of the People Power Party, "The Democratic Party's agitation now extends to the international stage," and added, "They have once again 'planned' a show for the public."
At a press conference held on May 29 by Lee Jaegang, co-head of the Democratic Party's International Cooperation Division, Kim Jinhyang, executive chairman of the Korean Peninsula Peace Economy Forum, announced that Chairman Rogers had declared support for candidate Lee. The next day, Lee also stated that he had heard Jim Rogers' declaration of support.
However, according to a report on June 1, when contacted via email, Chairman Rogers said he was completely unaware of any statement declaring support for Lee and called it "a complete fraud." The initial report was deleted, and Chairman Kim claimed there was some confusion in finalizing the wording of the support statement during exchanges with Chairman Rogers. When another outlet contacted Chairman Rogers by email, he clarified, "I have never supported anyone."
The Democratic Party has launched a last-minute offensive regarding suspicions of comment manipulation by far-right group Libak School members, their involvement in Neulbom School, and the connection between candidate Kim and Libak School. Previously, a media outlet reported that Libak School, a far-right group that provides history education on former presidents Syngman Rhee and Park Chunghee, operated a comment team called "Jasongun (Freedom Finger Army to Save the Nation through Comments)" to orchestrate negative comments targeting candidate Lee and Lee Junseok, the Reform Party's presidential candidate.
Park Chandae, chief campaign manager of the Democratic Party, stated at a Central Election Committee meeting at the party's headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, "The comment manipulation by the far-right group Libak School is a clear case of election fraud and a cyber rebellion intended to undermine the presidential election." He continued, "It has been revealed that instructors from Libak School were deployed to Neulbom classes, a key pledge of Yoon Sukyeol, to indoctrinate children with far-right ideology. If true, this would be a grave crime against the state, comparable to the National Intelligence Service comment manipulation scandal under the Lee Myungbak administration or the state-authored textbook incident under Park Geunhye." He also noted, "Libak School's YouTube videos are reportedly being deleted, and evidence must not be further destroyed," urging the police to conduct a swift investigation.
He also addressed candidate Kim, stating, "In a 2020 Libak School YouTube activity report video, candidate Kim appears, and since 2018, the head of Libak School has boasted of a close relationship with Kim. Kim Moonsu TV is also listed as a partner in Libak School's educational programs." He demanded, "The full truth must be immediately revealed to the public." Previously, on June 1, the Ministry of Education confirmed that Libak School, under the name of the Korea Neulbom Education Association, had provided science and arts programs to 10 Neulbom schools in Seoul and has launched a full investigation.
In response, the People Power Party countered that the Democratic Party's claims about comment manipulation by Libak School and its connection to candidate Kim were hypocritical. Jang stated, "The Democratic Party keeps attacking Libak School over comments, but it will soon become clear what kind of conspiracy and fabrication is behind this. If the candidate and the entire Democratic Party are themselves false, what more can be said about Libak School?"
There is analysis that both parties' last-minute allegations on the eve of the presidential election are not unrelated to the potential impact on final approval ratings. Lee Hoi-chang, the Grand National Party's presidential candidate in the 15th and 16th presidential elections, was damaged by the so-called "Byeongpung scandal," a suspicion of draft-dodging by his children. In particular, during the 16th presidential election, Kim Daeup, who had served as a soldier responsible for receiving and reporting the results of physical examinations for reservists, held a false press conference claiming to possess a recording of Lee Hoi-chang's son's draft-dodging, which disrupted the prevailing momentum. However, aside from this case, there is also the view that last-minute negative campaigning rarely breaks the dominant trend. In the 17th presidential election, Grand National Party candidate Lee Myungbak was attacked over the BBK stock manipulation allegations, and in the 18th, Saenuri Party candidate Park Geunhye faced criticism over past issues, but these did not affect the outcome of the elections.
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