Prohibition of Utilizing Regional Sentiment

The National Election Commission decided today to submit to the National Assembly its opinion for an electoral reform, which will prohibit candidates from printing the place of birth and the place of relatives on their campaign pamphlets in order to prevent the utilization of the religion sentiment.

The opinions of NEC on the related laws with the politics, such as the Election law, the Political party law, and the Political fund law, purpose to prohibit the release of the data about the populace by regional origins. But the opinion allows the candidates to show their career history and political views by business cards or by e-mail for a certain period.

NEC also obligates the candidates to report not only their legal election campaign fund but also the expenditure of a certain period before the election, including the expenses for the preparation of campaign, the report of parliamentary activities, and the management of their supporter groups. NEC also regulates the candidates to use only an account registered to NEC during the election period.

NEC also limits the maximum amount of political fund donation by the judicial persons which pays more than 300 thousand won for the corporation tax. NEC will permit the campaigns of civic organizations. However, it still bans the activities for rejection and rejection of the nomination. Civic organizations` opposition is anticipated concerning this regulation.

Park Sung-Won swpark@donga.com