Gwangju Nam-gu Councilor Who Sent "Shincheonji Son" Text Loses Position in Second Trial

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] A district council member in Gwangju who sent defamatory text messages to voters claiming that preliminary candidate Choi Young-ho was associated with Shincheonji during the 21st general election primary was given a reduced fine in the second trial.

The Criminal Division 1 of the Gwangju High Court (Presiding Judges Lee Seung-chul, Shin Yong-ho, Kim Jin-hwan) on the 9th overturned the first trial's sentence of 8 months imprisonment with 2 years probation and a fine of 4 million KRW for Nam-gu Council Member A, who was indicted for violating the Public Official Election Act and the Telecommunications Business Act.

The court sentenced a fine of 6 million KRW for the violation of the Election Act and, regarding the violation of the Telecommunications Business Act, imposed a fine of 4 million KRW, consistent with the original ruling.

Under the Public Official Election Act, if a sentence of a fine exceeding 1 million KRW is confirmed by the Supreme Court, the election result is invalidated.

The court explained the sentencing rationale, stating, "Considering that 25 people received A’s text messages and some messages could not be seen as having influenced the defeat of the opposing preliminary candidate."

Council Member A was prosecuted on charges of sending text messages to 25 voters claiming that candidate Choi, a competitor of Yoon Young-duk (currently a member of the National Assembly), whom he supported, was associated with Shincheonji. The text messages contained the content 'Shincheonji’s son Choi Young-ho, preliminary candidate withdraw.'

It is known that Council Member A plans to appeal to the Supreme Court regarding the second trial’s result.

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