Election Commission files charges against 2 Ministry of Gender Equality officials over alleged ruling party pledge development misconduct

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The National Election Commission announced on the 12th that it has reported two public officials from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office on charges of involvement in the development of presidential election pledges.

According to the Election Commission, public official A is suspected of requesting materials to be used for presidential election pledges from a policy research committee member of a specific political party, then asking various departments within their organization to draft policy pledges, organizing these drafts through meetings, and delivering them to the policy research committee member. Public official B is suspected of overseeing related tasks, including presiding over meetings on the compiled policy pledges.

According to Article 85, Paragraph 1 of the Public Official Election Act, public officials and others required by law to maintain political neutrality shall not "exercise undue influence on elections related to their duties or by using their position." According to Article 86, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 2 of the same law, public officials are prohibited from "participating in the planning of election campaigns or being involved in the implementation of such plans by using their position."

The Election Commission stated, "The involvement of public officials in elections is defined as a serious election crime that shakes the foundation of election order," and added, "We will take strict measures based on the principle of zero tolerance if similar cases are detected."

Earlier, on the 28th of last month, Ha Tae-kyung, a member of the People Power Party, raised suspicions that the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family was involved in the development of the Democratic Party of Korea's presidential election pledges by revealing internal emails from the ministry. Representative Ha claimed that the ministry held policy pledge meetings chaired by the vice minister, secretly making public officials create presidential election pledges.

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