[6.3 Election] Controversy Over "Taming of Public Officials" in Gochang, North Jeolla

Unauthorized Filming, Legal Threats, and Visits by Former Senior Officials
Deputy Governor Kim Criticizes "Excessive Election Interference"

With the upcoming local elections scheduled for June 3, allegations have surfaced in Gochang County, North Jeolla Province that a particular candidate’s camp is attempting to draw government officials into the electoral fray, sparking controversy. Concerns are being raised that this could be a repeat of the so-called “taming of public officials,” with one candidate’s camp allegedly trying to exert influence over the bureaucracy.

On May 6, Gochang County Deputy Governor Kim Youngsik issued a statement strongly criticizing these actions, saying, “It is excessive for a particular candidate’s camp to intimidate civil servants by threatening legal action based on hypothetical violations of election neutrality that have not even occurred.”

According to the statement, during recent on-site meetings at the Flower Garden and while conducting work for the Mujang Eupseong Festival, government officials were photographed without their consent, and these images were reportedly used in campaign activities for a specific candidate. Filming government officials performing their duties without consent and using such images in electioneering not only violates the Personal Information Protection Act but also undermines the fairness of the election, potentially resulting in legal consequences.

In response, Gochang County announced plans to file a complaint with the Press Arbitration Commission and to report the matter to the police against certain media outlets that reported on the issue.

Another serious issue raised was that former high-ranking officials supporting a specific candidate personally visited the county office to express their intentions. Such visits by former senior officials could serve as implicit pressure on current government employees.

Gochang County also expressed concern that the administrative capabilities of frontline public officials are being severely depleted due to excessive requests for information disclosure and data, as well as the need to respond to fake news, from some civic groups, pseudo-media, and former officials active outside the Gochang area.

With the local elections approaching, the Public Official Election Act strictly prohibits government officials from intervening in elections. Conversely, acts by outside forces that pressure or utilize public officials in a way that benefits a particular candidate can also be considered a serious breach of electoral fairness.

Deputy Governor Kim stated, “Threatening public officials over non-existent issues is nothing more than muddying the waters and obstructing official work,” and strongly urged, “Stop immediately the acts of pressuring and undermining officials who are struggling each day with a sense of duty.”

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