19 Lawmakers Implicated in Election Law Violations

The National Election Commission (NEC) announced on August 22 that it planned to report 19 lawmakers, belonging to both the ruling and the opposition party, to the prosecution for violations of election laws during the last general election, either for acts committed by the lawmakers themselves or by their campaign head officer or their accounting manager.

There are 12 lawmakers from the ruling Millennium Democratic Party, including MDP senior advisor Kim Young-bae, and 7 lawmakers from the opposition Grand National Party, including Kim Hyung-o. No lawmakers from the United Liberal Democrats were implicated.

In particular, it was revealed that Lawmaker Kim Young-bae directly transfered illegal campaign money, totaling about 98 million won, to one of his campaign officers. The 4 lawmakers were reported to the prosecutor for their own actions belong to the ruling MDP. The other 15 lawmakers were reported for violations committed by their campaign head officer or accounting manager.

In the case that the candidate himself is sentenced to imprisonment or fined more than 1 million won, the candidate losses their seat. In the case that the campaign head officer, the accounting manager, or one of the candidates' close family members, a parant, son, daughter, or wife, is sentenced to imprisonment, the win is also annuled.

In these cases, a new vote is held for the candidates district following a court decision. The prosecutor is required to reach a decision on indictment by October 13.

by Lee Soo-ho