Progressives name candidates with criminal records, including National Security Act violations

General election 2024

Published: 19 Mar. 2024, 18:41 Updated: 26 Mar. 2024, 14:52

Progressives name candidates with criminal records, including National Security Act violations

Noh Jeong-hyeon of the Progressive Party, who will run for Busan's Yeonje constituency in the upcoming April 10 general election. [PROGRESSIVE PARTY]

Several candidates nominated by smaller liberal parties to run in constituencies where the Democratic Party (DP) has not named its own candidates have criminal records, including violations of the National Security Act, according to a JoongAng Ilbo investigation.

The New Progressive Coalition, which is a grouping of minor liberal parties dominated by the DP’s satellite association, and the Progressive Party have nominated candidates in six out of eight constituencies where the DP is not fielding its own parliamentary candidates.

Noh Jeong-hyeon, who won the Progressive Party’s primary in Busan’s Yeonje District on Saturday, received an 18-month suspended prison sentence in 2002 for violating the National Security Act and the Punishment of Violences Act.

In 1997, Noh was handed a one-year suspended prison sentence on charges related to obstruction of justice and violations of the Punishment of Violences Act. He was also fined for committing general obstruction of traffic in 2014.

Choi Young-oh, the sole candidate from the Progressive Party for Daegu’s Dalseo-C constituency, was fined 2.5 million won ($1,860) in 2016 for committing property destruction and damage and violating the Punishment of Violences Act.

He also received a one-year suspended prison sentence in 2011 for violating the National Security Act and was fined a million won in 2007 for violating the Assembly and Demonstration Act.

The New Progressive Coalition’s Oh Jun-ho, running to represent Daegu’s Suseong District, previously received a two-year suspended prison sentence for violating the National Security Act and the Assembly and Demonstration Act.

From left, Rep. Yong Hye-in of the New Progressive Coalition, DP Rep. Park Hong-keun and Progressive Party's Yoon Hee-suk pose for a photo after signing an agreement to form a coalition for the upcoming April 10 general election. [KIM SEONG-RYONG]

The Progressive Party’s Yoon Jong-o, the sole liberal candidate running in Ulsan’s North District constituency, was fined three times from 2010 to 2017 on charges of business obstruction, malfeasance in office and violating the Public Official Election Act.

However, the nominee said he would abide by the results of a public survey regarding his nomination following opposition from Rep. Lee Sang-heon, the incumbent lawmaker representing Ulsan’s North District.

The Progressive Party’s Nam Soo-jeong, who is running for North Gyeongsang’s Gyeongsan constituency, and Hwang Soon-kyu, the liberal candidate in Daegu’s Dong-B constituency, do not have criminal records.

As of Tuesday, the DP has yet to name candidates in two constituencies representing Daegu’s Seo District and the four North Gyeongsang counties of Uiseong, Cheongsong, Yeongdeok and Uljin.

The DP fielded candidates in all 253 regional constituencies in the 2020 general election.

However, the party decided not to nominate candidates in races where contenders from the Progressive Party and the New Progressive Coalition were already running.

Candidate registration for this year’s general election is scheduled for March 21 and 22. Election campaigning is allowed from March 28 until April 9.

Campaigning is forbidden on election day itself. Overseas voting is scheduled from March 27 to April 1, while early voting will take place on April 5 and 6.

BY KIM JEONG-JAE, CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]