Gyeongnam Election Commission Reports Public Official to Prosecutors for Providing Food Gifts on Behalf of Incumbent Local Government Head

The Gyeongnam Election Commission announced on April 22 that it has reported a public official to the prosecution for engaging in an act of providing gifts on behalf of an incumbent local government head, in connection with the upcoming 9th nationwide local elections scheduled for June 3.

According to the Gyeongnam Election Commission, public official A is accused of making remarks related to the local government head, who is also their spouse, and providing food and beverages worth approximately 370,000 won at a gathering of about ten local constituents at the end of March.

Gyeongnam Election Commission.
Photo by Se-ryeong Lee

Article 115 of the Public Official Election Act stipulates that no one may engage in or cause others to engage in gift-giving acts for the benefit of a candidate or a prospective candidate in connection with an election.

Additionally, making donations under the name of a candidate or in a manner that could lead others to believe the candidate is the donor is also considered an act of providing gifts for the benefit of a candidate in the relevant election.

Violations of this provision are punishable by imprisonment for up to five years or a fine of up to 10 million won.

An official from the Gyeongnam Election Commission stated, "As the election approaches, we are significantly strengthening our activities to prevent and crack down on illegal acts, including gift-giving. Serious election crimes that undermine the fairness of the election will be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law and established principles."

The official added, "We hope that all public officials and related parties will once again remind themselves of their duty to comply with election laws in order to foster a fair election environment."

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