DistantNews
🇰🇷 South Korea /Elections & Politics

Three Reported for Impersonating Voters in Democratic Party Primaries

From Hankyoreh · (6m ago) Korean Critical tone

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Three individuals have been reported to the police for allegedly impersonating voters in the Democratic Party's local government chief primaries in South Jeolla Province.
  • The suspects allegedly collected cell phones from residents, impersonated them in phone surveys, and stored unused phones for further proxy responses.
  • The South Jeolla Provincial Election Commission emphasized that actions distorting public opinion surveys will be dealt with strictly, citing relevant election laws.

The Hankyoreh reports on a concerning incident of electoral fraud within the Democratic Party's primary elections in South Jeolla Province. Three individuals have been formally accused of manipulating public opinion surveys by impersonating voters. This act strikes at the heart of democratic processes, where the genuine voice of the electorate should be paramount.

If a call comes from 02, give it to me.

— Suspect 'A', village headmanInstructions given to residents before impersonating them in a phone survey.

According to the South Jeolla Provincial Election Commission, the accused, including a village headman, allegedly gathered residents under the guise of a meal and collected their mobile phones. These phones were then used to respond to survey calls, with some phones being stored for later use. This organized effort to subvert the survey process highlights a disturbing disregard for fair electoral practices.

The internal primary election is an important procedure for selecting candidates, and the free expression of voters' opinions must be guaranteed.

— South Jeolla Provincial Election Commission officialEmphasizing the importance of fair elections and the commission's zero-tolerance policy.

Such manipulation not only undermines the integrity of the party's internal selection of candidates but also erodes public trust in the electoral system. The Election Commission's swift action and firm stance against such 'election interference' are crucial. The article reminds us that laws like the Public Official Election Act carry severe penalties, including imprisonment and fines, for those who disrupt the freedom of primaries or manipulate survey results. This case serves as a stark warning against attempts to skew public opinion through fraudulent means.

Actions that intervene in the opinions of others and distort the results of public opinion surveys will be dealt with strictly under the principle of zero tolerance.

— South Jeolla Provincial Election Commission officialStating the commission's firm stance against electoral manipulation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog