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Voter under investigation for uploading video of them casting ballot

Published: 02 Jun. 2025, 19:02

An election official checks for illegal cameras using a detection card distributed by the National Election Commission in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on June 2. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

The police are investigating a voter in their 30s for filming themselves casting a ballot during early voting for Korea’s 21st presidential election and uploading the video to a Chinese social media platform, election officials said Monday.

The Ulsan Metropolitan Election Commission said Monday that the individual recorded the voting process inside a polling booth at an early voting station in Dal-dong, Nam District, last Thursday. The video, which showed the person marking their ballot for a specific candidate, was posted to a platform widely used by Chinese nationals before being deleted the following day. Authorities launched an investigation after a report was filed through the national 112 police hotline.

Under Articles 166-2 and 167 of the Public Official Election Act, photographing ballots is prohibited, as is making their ballot public.

Violations can result in up to two years in prison or fines of up to 4 million won ($2,900) for photographing a ballot, and up to three years in prison or fines of up to 6 million won for publicly revealing a marked ballot, according to Articles 256 and 241, respectively.

“Filming and disclosing a marked ballot directly violates the principle of secret ballots and the integrity of the electoral process,” an election commission official said. “We will take strict action in accordance with the law.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]