Soo-Young Park Fined 900,000 Won for Election Law Violation... Retains Parliamentary Seat

Text Messages Soliciting Support for District Mayor Sent to 50,000 People

Soo-Young Park, a member of the People Power Party who was indicted for violating the Public Official Election Act by sending messages soliciting support for the party's candidate during last year's by-election for Busan Geumjeong District Mayor, will retain his parliamentary seat.

According to legal sources on October 27, neither the prosecution nor Park appealed the 900,000 won fine imposed by the Busan District Court Criminal Division 6 (Presiding Judge Kim Yongkyun).

On October 7 last year, Park was brought to trial on charges of sending a text message soliciting support for Yoon Ilhyun, the current district mayor and then fellow party candidate, during the Geumjeong District Mayor by-election.

Soo-Young Park, member of the People Power Party. Photo by Yonhap News.

At the time, Park, who was serving as the head of the Busan Metropolitan Chapter of the People Power Party, sent a text message under his title as chapter head to 50,000 people along with an associate, identified as Mr. A.

The message included content such as, "In the October 16 by-election to elect the Geumjeong District Mayor, I earnestly ask you to help our party win again in Geumjeong and protect the Republic of Korea."

Article 59, Paragraph 2 of the Public Official Election Act stipulates that only candidates and preliminary candidates are allowed to send text messages via automated mass communication methods during the campaign period.

A member of the National Assembly loses their seat if they are convicted of violating the Public Official Election Act and receive a finalized sentence of a fine of 1 million won or more.