Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik: "Strict Ban on Public Officials' Election Involvement... Thorough Oversight Needed"

Kang Hoon-sik, Chief Secretary to the President, stated on April 27, "Acts by public officials that interfere in elections can undermine the fairness of elections and the public's trust." He emphasized, "Any actions that could influence the outcome of an election must be strictly prohibited."

An Gwi-ryeong, Deputy Spokesperson for the Blue House, conveyed that during the senior aides' meeting that day, Chief Secretary Kang stressed the importance of all public officials maintaining political neutrality ahead of the 9th nationwide local elections. Kang further requested thorough supervision and inspection from relevant agencies, including the Office of Civil Affairs and the police, to prevent any violations of the election law by public officials.

Kang Hoon-sik, Chief Secretary to the President, is briefing on the emergency economic situation at the Blue House press conference room on April 24, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

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Meanwhile, marking the 59th day since the outbreak of the Middle East war, Chief Secretary Kang also addressed acts that disrupt market order, such as hoarding and profiteering during times of crisis. Previously, inspections by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety uncovered 32 syringe and needle distributors for illegal hoarding, while a nationwide inspection of gas stations by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy identified 99 violations, including hoarding and the sale of fake petroleum products.

Kang stated, "The government is implementing anti-hoarding measures for key commodities closely tied to daily life, such as petroleum products, urea solution, and syringes, while also securing alternative sources of crude oil and naphtha." He commented, "Overall, order is being maintained as a result of these inspections, but in some cases, anti-social behaviors motivated by profit-seeking are taking place."

He warned, "We will continue to strengthen inspections against unfair practices that exploit crisis situations, and will respond firmly through prompt investigations, severe punishment, and the highest level of administrative sanctions against violators."

Kang also announced, "Starting today, applications for fuel price support grants for recipients of the National Basic Livelihood Security Program, the near-poor, and single-parent families will begin." He emphasized the need for cooperation between relevant ministries and local governments to ensure that support funds for vulnerable groups are disbursed without delay. In addition, he called for thorough advance preparations and swift execution to prevent a recurrence of past confusion during distribution, such as shortages of prepaid cards.

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