Hong Camp: "Is the demand for ARS verification intended to lower elderly voter turnout? ... Another 'absurd remark'"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] The campaign team of Hong Jun-pyo, the presidential candidate from the People Power Party, has rebutted the criticism from former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol’s camp regarding the requirement of ARS identity verification during the presidential primary process. They condemned the claim that the introduction of the ARS verification procedure was intended to lower the voting rate among the elderly as a disparaging remark against the older generation.

On the 27th, Yeomyeong, spokesperson for Hong’s campaign, stated, "This morning, Representative Joo Ho-young from Yoon’s camp held a press conference claiming that ‘Hong Jun-pyo’s demand for ARS identity verification makes it difficult for elderly voters to participate and lowers their turnout.’ It seems they only see what they want to see. Did Yoon’s camp vehemently oppose the ARS identity verification procedure because they wanted to send text messages to party members offering to ‘vote on their behalf’?"

She continued, "According to Representative Joo’s remarks, the elderly members of our party are portrayed as people left behind by society who cannot even complete identity verification. This is a disparaging remark against the elderly generation following the previous derogation of the 2030 generation."

Spokesperson Yeomyeong explained, "Currently, only the People Power Party does not require ARS identity verification during internal primary opinion polls. The reason Hong insists on the ARS verification procedure is a minimal demand aimed at upholding the four principles of voting, including preventing proxy voting."

Furthermore, she added, "Hong’s campaign has today reported to the Election Commission the suspicious text messages from Yoon’s camp regarding ‘proxy voting’ that were reported by party members. We urge the Election Commission to promptly introduce the ARS identity verification procedure for the third cut-off primary and to devote all efforts to managing our party’s primary fairly and transparently."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.