Two Members of Park Young-sun's Campaign Staff Indicted for Election Law Violation Over 'High School Student Support' Remarks

by Yoo Byeongdon

Published 26 Aug.2021 10:51(KST)

High School Student Who Made Supportive Remarks Receives Deferred Prosecution

Park Young-sun, the Democratic Party of Korea's candidate for Seoul mayor, is singing "Don't Worry, Dear" by Deulgukhwa with citizens at a concentrated campaign rally held on the 2nd in Namdaemun, Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Camp officials have been brought to trial in connection with an incident during the April by-election for Seoul mayor this year, where a high school student made a public endorsement speech at the campaign event of Democratic Party candidate Park Young-sun.

The Criminal Division 6 of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Ki-hoon) indicted two Democratic Party officials, who were responsible for verifying the identity of speakers at the campaign event, without detention on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act. However, the high school student A (17), who made the endorsement speech and was also sent to prosecution, was given a non-prosecution disposition.

On April 1, at a campaign event for candidate Park held in front of a mart in Yangcheon-gu, student A took the stage and said, "I am a second-year high school student born in 2004 and do not have voting rights, but I came here to support candidate Park," adding, "We must not choose the worst. Now, at this moment, who is truly the worst candidate?"

A civil complainant reported candidate Park's campaign to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency through the National Police Agency's online complaint system, and after launching an investigation, the police sent the two Democratic Party officials and student A to the prosecution with a recommendation for indictment.