The People Power Party filed a complaint with the prosecution against Lee Jaemyung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, and others, claiming that the endorsement announcement by Jim Rogers, chairman of Rogers Holdings, in support of Lee was a "fraud against the public." The party accused them of disseminating false information and other charges.
People Power Party's presidential candidate Kim Moonsoo is appealing for support from citizens at Busan Station on the 2nd, one day before the 21st presidential election. Photo by Yonhap News
On June 2, Joo Jinwoo and Choi Kisik, co-heads of the Negative Response Team of the People Power Party's Central Election Countermeasures Committee, announced that they had filed a complaint with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office against candidate Lee Jaemyung, Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Jaekang, and former head of the Kaesong Industrial Complex Support Foundation Kim Jinhyang. The charges include dissemination of false information, defamation, forgery of private documents, and use of forged documents.
They explained, "Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Jaekang, head of the International Cooperation Division of the party's Central Election Countermeasures Headquarters, hosted the press conference for Jim Rogers' endorsement. Kim Jinhyang, former head of the Kaesong Industrial Complex, read the endorsement statement on behalf of Jim Rogers. Candidate Lee Jaemyung also spread news of the endorsement through his own social media."
They continued, "However, Jim Rogers has stated that he 'never endorsed candidate Lee Jaemyung,' revealing that the endorsement announcement was a 'fraud against the public.' This act constitutes a serious illegal act involving the unauthorized use of Jim Rogers' name, which is why we have filed a complaint with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office."
Earlier on the same day, Kim Yongtae, acting chairman of the People Power Party's Emergency Response Committee, also criticized the Democratic Party at a Central Election Countermeasures Committee field meeting held in Busan. He said, "The Democratic Party held a press conference at the National Assembly claiming that the world-renowned investor Jim Rogers endorsed their candidate, but Jim Rogers himself denied ever making such an endorsement in a media interview. This is yet another show staged for the public."
Park Yongchan, head of the Public Relations Messaging Team of the People Power Party's Election Committee, commented, "It is a huge embarrassment that a world-renowned investor was used for political purposes in Korea. This will have a fatal impact not only on Korea's international credibility, but also on our exports, stock market, exchange rate, and the overall economy."
The Democratic Party countered, saying that expressions such as "fraud" and "manipulation" were excessive. Cho Seungrae, head of the Democratic Party's Central Election Countermeasures Committee Public Relations Team, told reporters at the party's headquarters in Yeouido on the same day, "There was ongoing communication between Chairman Rogers and the organizers of the endorsement, and it seems there was a process of refining the statement during that time."
Candidate Lee Jaemyung also addressed the controversy over Rogers' endorsement in a meeting with reporters at Seongnam Jumin Church in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, dismissing the issue by saying, "Rather than focusing on such matters, People Power Party candidate Kim Moonsoo should first explain his involvement in major criminal acts such as 'Reebak School' and cyber rebellion."
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