Election Candidate Who Handed Over Cash Bundles Before Voting Acts Innocent, Caught by DNA Evidence

A cooperative association head in Gyeongnam, who was under investigation for handing over cash to an acquaintance ahead of the union head election, was caught by evidence that appeared before the statute of limitations expired.

The Miryang Branch of Changwon District Prosecutors' Office announced on the 11th that it had arrested and indicted Mr. A, a man in his 50s who is the head of a cooperative in Changnyeong-gun, and his acquaintance Mr. B.

According to the prosecution, Mr. A is accused of giving 1 million won in cash to Mr. B, a former schoolmate, in February before the 3rd nationwide simultaneous union head election, instructing him to deliver it to union member Mr. C.

Changwon District Prosecutors' Office, Gyeongnam.
Photo by Lee Seryeong

Initially, Mr. B admitted to handing over 1 million won to Mr. C, but he consistently denied any connection with Mr. A, claiming that the money given to Mr. C was unrelated to the union head election.

Mr. A, who was being investigated as a witness, also denied knowledge of the incident, and no fingerprints of Mr. A were found on the cash or the envelope received by Mr. C.

The police sent Mr. B to prosecution without detention in June on charges of violating the entrusted election law.

The prosecution, which took over the case, additionally requested DNA analysis of the seized items from the Scientific Investigation Department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and confirmed Mr. A's DNA on the banknotes, envelopes, and other seized items.

Subsequently, through Mr. B, the prosecution confirmed the charges against Mr. A and arrested him on the afternoon of the 8th, about six hours before the statute of limitations expired.

A prosecution official said, "Although the short statute of limitations posed difficulties, we were able to bring the related parties to trial through scientific and persistent investigation."

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