Changwon Councilor Seong Bobin Denies Holiday Gift and Party Fee Allegations ... Vows Strong Response

Seong Bobin, a member of the People Power Party and a councilor for Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam Province, has completely denied the recent allegations regarding the provision of Chuseok holiday gifts to constituents and the payment of party fees on their behalf.

On March 26, Councilor Seong held a press conference at the city hall press center, stating, "Since March 18, local media have raised suspicions about my donation activities and the alleged payment of party fees. Even before the National Election Commission investigation, the media reported as if I had committed a serious crime, and, ignoring the basic procedures of standard reporting, published stories using my real name based only on the testimony of a single, unreliable informant." He expressed his frustration at the situation.

He continued, "I have repeatedly asked the Election Commission to conduct a prompt investigation to quickly reveal the truth, but the investigation was delayed due to the Commission's schedule. I was recently investigated and have submitted all relevant documents, and I am now waiting for the results of the decision."

Seong Bobin, a member of the People Power Party and the Changwon Special City Council in Gyeongnam Province, is holding a press conference to explain and refute recent allegations regarding the provision of holiday gifts and the payment of party fees. Photo by Se Ryeong Lee

Regarding the allegation of providing holiday gifts to constituents, he explained, "The informant in question is simply someone with whom I have had a continuous personal relationship and close ties; they are neither a resident of my constituency nor have any local connection. Therefore, this does not fall under the restrictions on donation activities under the Public Official Election Act. It was simply a routine, ceremonial act based on a long-standing personal relationship."

As for the allegation of paying party fees on someone else's behalf, he asserted, "This is completely untrue. I cannot go into detail due to the Personal Information Protection Act, but I have submitted all objective evidence and supporting documentation, and the truth will be revealed soon."

He further added, "The individual at the center of these allegations is not a resident of my district, and through the Press Arbitration Commission and interviews with the media outlets that reported the allegations, it is becoming clear that the claims about paying party fees are unfounded."

Regarding the use of inappropriate language criticizing the Democratic Party, he said, "As a public official, I apologize to the citizens for my lack of caution. I am deeply reflecting on my actions and sincerely apologize."

However, Councilor Seong strongly criticized the current controversy, claiming that it is "a malicious political offensive by the Democratic Party of Korea" and "an act that exemplifies selective justice."

He argued, "It appears that the Democratic Party of Korea has chosen to target me, the youngest and a powerless young woman councilor in Changwon, as part of their attempt to eliminate conservatives in our region. While politics is often plagued by mudslinging, slander, and negative campaigning, I express my regret that a young politician is being mischaracterized in this way based on inaccurate information."

He further appealed, saying, "In February, the Gyeongnam Election Commission reported a Changwon city councilor from the Democratic Party to the police for alleged pre-election campaigning and donation activities involving about 50 constituents. That councilor's identity was kept anonymous, but in my case, my name has been made public from the outset of the allegations, causing me significant harm."

Councilor Seong stated, "Going forward, I will take strong legal action based on the actual facts, including defamation, insult, spreading false information, obstruction of official duties, and stalking crimes, regarding any further reports of these allegations. Just as you cannot cover the sky with your palm, the truth cannot be hidden by a frame of falsehood."

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