Official Campaigning for the 20th Presidential Election Begins in Full Swing from the 15th

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] The Gwangju Metropolitan City Election Commission announced on the 14th that election campaigning for the 20th presidential election will officially begin on the 15th.

Until the 8th of next month, for a total of 22 days, anyone can freely conduct election campaigns in ways not restricted by the Public Official Election Act.

Candidates, their spouses, election managers, and election staff can campaign using sashes, upper garments, badges, and other accessories.

Election campaigning using printed materials, facilities, public speeches and debates, and media as prescribed by law is also permitted.

General voters who can campaign may appeal for support for a specific party or candidate by word of mouth or phone calls, except on election day, and campaigning via the internet, email (including SNS), and text messages is allowed even on election day.

The main election campaign methods available to candidates and general voters are as follows.

Candidates prepare election posters and election bulletins and submit them to the election commission, which posts the election posters at designated locations and sends election bulletins to every household. Candidates, their spouses, direct lineal relatives, election managers, and election staff accompanying the candidate may distribute the candidate’s business cards and post banners up to twice the number of towns, townships, and neighborhoods within the electoral district.

Candidates, election managers, election office heads, election staff (hereinafter referred to as ‘candidates, etc.’), or persons designated by candidates among those allowed to campaign may use vehicles and loudspeakers to give speeches and debates in public places. Candidates, etc. may temporarily attend indoor meetings held by others to give speeches and debates.

Using media and information communication networks, candidates may place newspaper and broadcast advertisements and deliver broadcast speeches via TV and radio.

They may advertise on the websites of internet news agencies and send text messages via automatic broadcasting communication methods or entrust email transmission to electronic mail service providers.

Voters who can campaign may appeal for support for parties or candidates by word of mouth or phone calls when it is not election day, and on election day, they may campaign using the internet, email (including SNS), and text messages. They may also participate as volunteers for candidates.

However, campaigning using sashes, hats or clothes and badges of the same shape and color, placards, or other accessories is prohibited, and volunteers may not demand or receive allowances or reimbursements as compensation.

It is prohibited to photograph ballots inside the voting booth or post them on SNS. Sharing or spreading posts on SNS that defame candidates or contain false information may also violate the law.

Meanwhile, political parties cannot engage in typical party activities promoting their policies or political issues using facilities during the election period, so banners already posted must be removed by this day (February 14).

A Gwangju Election Commission official said, “We ask everyone to comply with the law so that this presidential election can be conducted fairly and cleanly,” adding, “Political parties and candidates should compete fairly with policies, and voters should carefully examine pledges and candidates before making their choice.”

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