35% of Local Election Candidates Have Criminal Records...One in Three

Election Commission Classifies Crimes Involving Fines Over 1 Million Won as Criminal Records

One out of every three candidates registered for the 9th nationwide local elections on June 3 has a criminal record.

According to the National Election Commission on May 16, out of 7,569 candidates for metropolitan and basic local government heads, as well as metropolitan and basic local council members, 2,554 people (33.7%) had criminal records. The commission classifies criminal records as convictions for crimes that resulted in fines of 1 million won or more.

The candidate with the highest number of criminal records is independent candidate Kim Byeongyeon, running for Incheon Ganghwa County Council, who has a total of 15 criminal convictions. Independent candidates Kang Haebok for Busan City Council and Byeon Younghyeon for Incheon Ongjin County Council each have 14 criminal convictions. They are followed by independent candidate Kim Jaeseon for Jeongeup Mayor in North Jeolla Province (12 records) and Progressive Party candidate Yoon Janghyeok for Ulsan Ulju County Council (11 records).

Among the 51 candidates for metropolitan mayor and governor, 20 candidates (39.2%) had criminal records.

Yang Jeongmu, candidate for North Jeolla Governor from the People Power Party, and Kim Hyeonuk, candidate for Gyeonggi Governor from the National Union, each reported the highest number with nine criminal convictions.

Candidate Yang was fined a total of seven times between 2003 and 2019 for violations of the Labor Standards Act. He also received a fine of 1.5 million won for violating the Labor Standards Act, the Minimum Wage Act, and the Act on the Guarantee of Employees’ Retirement Benefits, and a 2 million won fine for invalid official markings in the course of duty.

Candidate Kim was sentenced to one year and six months in prison for fraud and another one year and six months in prison for violating the Attorney-at-Law Act. He was also fined three times for drunk driving and refusal to submit to a breathalyzer test, and had convictions for offenses such as illegal use of official documents, embezzlement of lost property, driving without a license (violation of the Road Traffic Act), and violation of the Labor Standards Act.

Hong Seonggyu, the Progressive Party candidate for Gyeonggi Governor, reported a total of six criminal convictions. In 1996, he was sentenced to two years in prison with a three-year suspended sentence for violating the Assembly and Demonstration Act, the Act on Punishment of Violent Acts, and the National Security Act. In a separate 2017 case, he was sentenced to one year and six months in prison with a two-year suspended sentence for violating the National Security Act. He was also fined for drunk driving, obstruction of general traffic, and obstruction of special official duties.

Kim Kyungsoo, the Democratic Party candidate for South Gyeongsang Governor, and Kwon Youngguk, the Justice Party candidate for Seoul Mayor, each reported four criminal convictions. Kim Jonghun, the Progressive Party candidate for Ulsan Mayor, was found to have three criminal convictions.

Democratic Party candidates Jeong Wonoh for Seoul Mayor, Woo Sangho for Gangwon Governor, Lee Wontak for North Jeolla Governor, and Oh Junggi for North Gyeongsang Governor, as well as People Power Party candidate Lee Jangwoo for Daejeon Mayor, Progressive Party candidates Lee Jonguk for the Gwangju-Jeonnam Special Mayor and Jeon Heeyoung for South Gyeongsang Governor, and independent candidate Kim Seongsu for North Jeolla Governor, each reported two criminal convictions.

Democratic Party candidates Kim Bugyeom for Daegu Mayor, Shin Yonghan for North Chungcheong Governor, and Wi Seonggon for Jeju Governor, as well as People Power Party candidates Lee Junghyun for the Gwangju-Jeonnam Special Mayor and Lee Cheolwoo for North Gyeongsang Governor, and Progressive Party candidate Baek Seungjae for North Jeolla Governor, each had one criminal conviction.

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