Seoul, South Korea – South Korea’s leading opposition party, the Democratic Party, has filed a formal complaint with police against President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife, Kim Keon-hee, alleging violations of the Public Official Election Act. The party accuses the presidential couple of meddling in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
In a press conference held on February 28th, the Democratic Party stated that Yoon and Kim are suspected of violating election laws by offering promises of ministerial positions or leadership roles in state-owned enterprises to Kim Young-seon, a former lawmaker from the ruling People Power Party. The alleged inducement was reportedly aimed at persuading Kim Young-seon to withdraw from the party’s nomination contest for the upcoming parliamentary elections. This, the Democratic Party argues, constitutes bribery and inducement of interests, which are violations of the Public Official Election Act.
Furthermore, the Democratic Party alleges that Yoon and Kim exerted undue influence in an attempt to secure a parliamentary seat for former prosecutor Kim Sang-min in the Changwon Uichang district of South Gyeongsang Province. The party claims that the presidential couple leveraged the power and authority of the presidency to conduct illegal campaigning activities on behalf of Kim Sang-min, thus violating regulations against unfair election practices.
The accusations stem from a recently released Telegram chat log between Kim Keon-hee and Kim Young-seon, dating back to last year. The chat log, made public on February 20th by an associate of political broker Myung Tae-kyun, purportedly contains details of the alleged offers made to Kim Young-seon.
This development adds another layer of political tension in South Korea, as the nation prepares for crucial parliamentary elections. The allegations of election interference are likely to fuel further scrutiny of the President and First Lady, and could significantly impact the political landscape in the lead-up to the polls. The police investigation into these allegations will be closely watched by the public and political observers alike.
References:
- Yonhap News Agency. (2024, February 28). 韩最大在野党检举尹锡悦夫妇干预国会议员选举 [South Korea’s Main Opposition Party Accuses Yoon Suk-yeol and Wife of Election Interference]. Retrieved from [Insert original URL here – since I don’t have direct access to the internet, I cannot provide the exact URL].
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