Candidates Set to Disclose Past Records

Due to escalating criticism of candidates who showed no record of paying their taxes or having compleated their military service and the release of candidates' records on March 31, both the ruling and oppostion parties rushed to set up countermeasures. These measures included the resignation of suspect candidates and publicizing integrated land and family tax records.

Rep.Kim Han-gill, the spokesman for the Millennium Democratic Party's(MDP) campaign headquarters, and rep.Lee Won-chang, of the Grand National Party(GNP), announced that if a candidate has their suspicious military, tax and criminal records confirmed, the nominee will be forced to resign their candidacy and withdraw from the election race.

The Democratic People's Party is taking rapid action, urging rep. Lee Byung-seok to step down because he has failed to pay any income tax or propertry tax depite his $9,330,000 in assets. Lee may be subject to expulsion if he doesn't comply.

MDP's Kim Han-gill stated,"We have convinced party members, who were once in prison during the past struggles for democracy, to unveil their criminal records." He added, "We shall make those records public a day before the disclosure from the Central Election Committee." The GNP has also made up its mind to reveal criminal records on April 2 of the so called '386-candidates,' young candidates born in the 60s, who are in their 30s and graduated college during 80s, and other candidates from the older generation, who have criminal records due to the fight for democracy a long time ago.

The MDP, GNP, and ULD (United Liberal Democrats) made joint guidelines that firmly called for proprotinal representatives to submit their tax records and all payments in order to inform voters.

　

by Lee Yang-soo