Prosecutors Indict Supporter Who Rushed Election Commission with Vehicle, Questioning "Why Exclude Heo Gyeong-yeong from Polls"

Huh Kyung-young, presidential candidate of the National Revolutionary Party.
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist] A supporter of presidential candidate Heo Kyung-young of the National Revolutionary Party, who claimed unfair treatment such as being excluded from opinion polls, was prosecuted after driving a car into the Gwanak office of the National Election Commission and attempting to set the car on fire.

The Criminal Division 5 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Park Gyu-hyung) announced on the 7th that supporter A was arrested and indicted on charges of obstruction of official duties, damage to public property, and trespassing on a special structure.

On the 24th of last month, around 11:20 a.m., A drove a car into the main gate of the National Election Commission’s Gwanak office located in Gwanak-gu, Seoul. Although there were no casualties, the vehicle barrier at the main gate was damaged.

Afterward, A parked the car in the premises’ parking lot, took out gasoline prepared in advance, and tried to set the car on fire. When police officers intervened, A sprayed gasoline at them. At the time of the incident, supporters of candidate Heo were holding a rally at the back gate of the office.

During the police investigation, A reportedly stated that he committed the act out of personal dissatisfaction, believing that candidate Heo was being treated unfairly during the 20th presidential election process, such as being excluded from the presidential candidate opinion polls despite having high support ratings.

According to Article 82-2 (Talks and Debates Hosted by the Election Broadcasting Debate Commission) Paragraph 1, Item 1 of the current Public Official Election Act, the Central Election Broadcasting Debate Commission is required to invite one or more candidates during the election campaign period to hold three or more talks or debates for the presidential election.

Paragraph 4 of the same article restricts participants in the presidential candidate debates to candidates recommended by ▲ political parties with five or more members in the National Assembly, ▲ political parties that received at least 3% of the total valid votes nationwide in the previous presidential election, proportional representation National Assembly election, proportional representation metropolitan/provincial council election, or proportional representation autonomous district/city/county council election, and ▲ candidates whose average support rating is 5% or higher based on opinion polls conducted and published by media organizations between 30 days before and the day before the election campaign period, as prescribed by the National Election Commission regulations.

Previously, candidate Heo filed a provisional injunction against the three terrestrial broadcasters to prohibit the broadcast of the 'Presidential Candidate Invitation Debate,' which only included candidates from the four parties in the National Assembly. However, the court dismissed the injunction, stating that candidate Heo did not meet the above criteria.

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