Ruling party accuses opposition, election commission of collusion; demands special prosecutor

A senior lawmaker from South Korea's ruling People Power Party has accused the main opposition Democratic Party and the National Election Commission (NEC) of deep collusion, demanding a special prosecutor probe into alleged irregularities during the June 3 local elections. The accusation stems from a reported phone call made by Rep. Seo Young-kyo, a key figure in the Democratic Party's legal affairs committee, to NEC Chairman Noh Tae-ak on election day.

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The Democratic Party and the National Election Commission have a deeply collusive relationship.

Rep. Chung Jin-suk, the ruling party's floor leader, stated that Seo's call, requesting promotion of a campaign against dual voting by local council candidates, constituted a "corrupt solicitation" rather than a mere inquiry. Chung argued that the NEC's swift response to Seo's request, while many citizens faced long waits to cast their ballots, demonstrated a preferential treatment towards the ruling party. "The NEC acted like a complaint reception desk for the ruling party legislator's request, while putting up barricades against citizens' right to vote," Chung asserted.

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A legislator from the ruling party making a personal call to the NEC chairman on election day is an act of extreme lack of common sense.

Chung further contended that the Democratic Party's insistence on recommending the special prosecutor for the investigation is unreasonable, given the alleged collusion. He questioned the public's trust in an investigation recommended by a party accused of such close ties with the election body. "If a political party is so deeply intertwined with the election commission, how can the public trust the results of a special prosecutor investigation recommended by that party?" he asked, calling for thorough reform of the NEC through an impartial investigation.

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The NEC acted like a complaint reception desk for the ruling party legislator's request, while putting up barricades against citizens' right to vote.

In a separate but related criticism, Chung also slammed President Lee Jae-myung's recent remarks questioning a court ruling against construction union violence. Chung described the president's comments as part of a pattern of undermining the judiciary and pressuring courts, likening it to "judicial destruction." He argued that the president's statement effectively provided a "license for violence" to labor unions, suggesting that the president was attempting to set guidelines for court rulings on labor disputes. Chung insisted that such actions disregard the separation of powers and threaten the constitutional order.

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If a political party is so deeply intertwined with the election commission, how can the public trust the results of a special prosecutor investigation recommended by that party?