"Help with the election, so give me personnel authority"... Two election brokers in Jeonju mayoral race arrested and sent to prosecution

Allegation of Demanding Personnel Authority from Jeonju Mayoral Candidate in Exchange for Election Support
Recording Reveals Construction Businessman Gave Money to Incumbent Local Leader and Member of Parliament

On the 23rd, local civic groups held a press conference urging an investigation into election brokers that emerged during the recent Jeonju mayoral primary.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Gun-chan] Brokers who demanded personnel authority from a preliminary candidate for mayor of Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do, in exchange for election support have been sent to the prosecution.

The Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Unit of the Jeonbuk Provincial Police Agency announced on the 23rd that election broker Mr. A and civil society organization representative Mr. B were arrested and sent to the prosecution on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act.

Reporter Mr. C, affiliated with a local daily newspaper involved in this case, is also under investigation on the same charges.

Mr. A and Mr. B are accused of demanding personnel authority in exchange for supporting election organizations and funds to former preliminary candidate Lee Joong-seon.

Article 230, Paragraph 1, Item 4 of the Public Official Election Act stipulates that no one shall provide or offer money or other benefits, or express an intention to provide or promise to provide such benefits in relation to election campaigns.

Former preliminary candidate Lee held a press conference at the Jeonju City Hall briefing room on the 7th of last month, revealing, "I started being harassed by brokers since May last year," and "When they proposed sharing personnel authority, I told them to run directly if that was the case."

He claimed, "Election brokers said that if the candidate could not raise money, they had to receive money from companies, and they demanded authority to receive that money," adding, "In exchange, they requested positions such as heads of departments at City Hall, mostly in the construction department."

The police assigned the case to the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Unit and began an investigation on the day of former preliminary candidate Lee's disclosure.

The police secured recorded phone conversations containing the election brokers' discussions and conducted a search and seizure.

The recordings reportedly include details of construction businesspersons handing money to incumbent local government heads and members of the National Assembly, along with specific amounts.

Additionally, it was detected that Mr. A and others discussed the case and attempted to destroy evidence after the investigation began. It is reported that Mr. A and others admitted to the related crimes after being detained.

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