Chungnam Provincial Council Member Shin Youngho Urges Special Prosecutor for Democratic Party 'Nomination Bribery Allegations'

"Need to Address Allegations Before Local Elections... Concerns Over Undermining Fairness"

Shin Youngho, Chungnam Provincial Councilor

Shin Youngho, a member of the Chungnam Provincial Council, has called for the introduction of a special prosecutor in relation to allegations of nomination bribes and monetary nominations surrounding the Democratic Party ahead of the local elections scheduled for June 3.

On January 6, through his social media, Assemblyman Shin stated, "For many prospective candidates preparing for the local elections, securing a party nomination is the starting line for all their efforts," adding, "It is not desirable to proceed to the elections while suspicions of nomination bribes at this starting line remain unresolved."

He further argued, "The recent allegations of nomination bribes raised within the Democratic Party are spreading beyond an individual issue and are developing into a structural controversy."

He emphasized, "After the so-called 'Money Party Convention' trial concluded, new monetary allegations related to nominations have emerged," stressing, "The nature of these suspicions is not minor."

He also pointed out, "A petition was delivered to the party leader's office, but the suspicions were handled internally, and even though the key figure in the allegations had already left the country, investigative authorities did not impose a travel ban."

In particular, he criticized, "The Democratic Party is rejecting the demand for a special prosecutor and continues to maintain the position that this is a 'personal matter.'"

Assemblyman Shin said, "If the local elections are held while these suspicions remain unresolved, controversy over the fairness of the primary results and the nomination process will be inevitable," adding, "It will also be difficult to rule out the possibility of conflict and non-acceptance of the results after the election."

He continued, "A special prosecutor is not a means to protect specific individuals, but rather a procedure to ensure the credibility and fairness of the local elections."

He urged the Democratic Party to change its stance, stating, "If these suspicions are not clearly clarified, this local election will inevitably begin under a cloud of doubt."