NEC: "Possible Violation of the Political Funds Act...May Be Subject to Investigation"
It has been confirmed that Shin Sujeong, chair of the Gwangju City Council, printed a supporters' association account number on business cards for legislative activities that were produced with the council’s budget, sparking controversy over a possible violation of the Political Funds Act. The National Election Commission has stated that promotional materials produced with public funds that specify a supporters' association account may become subject to investigation.
According to the Gwangju City Council and others on February 26, Chair Shin used a total of 1,442,000 won from the common operating expenses for legislative activities on five separate occasions last year to produce and distribute business cards for “legislative activities.” It is permissible for a city council member to produce business cards with the council’s budget for use in legislative work.
Shin Sujung, Chair of the Gwangju City Council, listed a supporters' committee bank account (in red) on business cards produced with council funds. Yonhap News
The issue is that the back of some of these business cards carried a Gwangju Bank account number under the name “Shin Sujeong Supporters' Association.” The front of the card listed her photo, title as chair, name, and phone number, while the back featured the phrase “A sincere council that works with citizens through the eyes of citizens,” along with her main career history and the supporters' association account number.
Chair Shin is reported to have spent an amount of money sufficient to produce between 6,000 and 10,000 business cards with this budget. This is about three times higher than the roughly 500,000 won per year that other city council members typically spend on business cards.
The local council budget is public funding intended for legislative activities, and if it is used for personal political activities or for promoting the collection of political donations, such spending may be deemed improper. An official at the Gwangju City Election Commission said, “In general, if a supporters' association account is specified on business cards produced with public funds, there is a possibility that this could constitute a violation of the Political Funds Act and become subject to investigation.”
The Political Funds Act restricts shifting the costs of political activities onto public budgets, and there is an interpretation that if promotional materials for raising individual political donations are produced with funds from the national or local government budget, this may constitute “improper receipt of political funds.”
Chair Shin, who is preparing to run for mayor of Buk-gu, Gwangju in the June 3 local elections, is currently believed to be using a different design of business card that does not include the supporters' association account number. She said, “I did not know that including the supporters' association account on business cards for legislative activities was illegal,” and added, “I am sorry for having used the council budget for what has been pointed out as personal political activities.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
