Former President Moon Jae-in Also Cleared of
"Public Official Election Act Violation" Charges
Cho Kuk, emergency response committee chairman of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, is attending the emergency response committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 15th of last month.
The prosecution has once again cleared key figures of charges after reopening the investigation into the 2018 "Ulsan mayoral election interference allegations."
On October 2, the Public Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (headed by Prosecutor Yoon Sujeong) announced that it had dismissed charges of violating the Public Official Election Act and abuse of authority against five individuals: former Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs Cho Kuk, former Chief Presidential Secretary Im Jongseok, former Civil Affairs Secretary Lee Gwangcheol, former Ulsan Mayor Song Cheolho, and former Ulsan Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs Song Byeonggi, either due to lack of evidence or expiration of the statute of limitations.
The prosecution explained that, based on the facts and legal principles established in the Supreme Court's ruling in August-where former Ulsan Police Chief Hwang Unha and others were acquitted-it was difficult to acknowledge the charges or the statute of limitations had expired.
Additionally, the prosecution dismissed charges against former President Moon Jae-in and others, who were under investigation for alleged violations of the Public Official Election Act and abuse of authority, for the same reasons: lack of evidence or expiration of the statute of limitations.
Previously, in January 2020, the prosecution indicted 13 people, including former Ulsan Mayor Song Cheolho and Democratic Party lawmaker Hwang Unha, on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act in connection with the Ulsan mayoral election interference allegations. However, former Chief Presidential Secretary Im Jongseok and former Senior Presidential Secretary Cho Kuk were not indicted at that time due to insufficient evidence.
In response, the People Power Party filed an appeal with the prosecution regarding former Chief Presidential Secretary Im Jongseok and others. In January last year, the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office ordered a reinvestigation, leading the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office to reopen the case.
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