Election Law Violation Cases Reach 2,086, Up 2.5 Times From Four Years Ago

In this year alone, the amount of election law violation cases related to the April 15 general election has reached the 2,000 mark.

The Central Election Management Committee disclosed on March 26 that “From January 1 to March 25, the cases of election law violations total 2,086 in all. We have entered litigation in 189 cases, requested the police to investigate 116 cases, gave warning to 893 cases, cautioned 874 cases, and handed over 14 cases to their relevant agencies.”

This means that approximately 24 cases per a day have been filed on average, showing a 155 percent increase from the general election four years ago. In particular, the number of litigation and investigation requests has crossed 300, which could potentially impact the election and increase the possibility of successive spoiled votes.

In classification by party, the Open Uri Party accounts for 28.4 percent of all election law violation cases with 593; the Grand National Party, 21.9 percent with 456 cases; the Millennium Democratic Party, 14.0 percent with 293 cases; the Democratic Labor Party, 4.3 percent with 91 cases; the United Liberal Democrats, 1.7 percent with 36 cases; and the others, 12.7 percent with 265 cases.

In classification by type, illegal distribution of prints and magazines accounts for 39 percent with 814 cases; offers of money, food, and transportation, 17.2 percent with 359 cases; illegal facility establishments, 13.9 percent with 290 cases; and internet and telephone use for illegal election activities, 12.7 percent with 265 cases.

The reason for the skyrocketing increase in election law violation cases can be traced to the early stage fever in relation to the ambience of candidate nomination, and volunteered reports by electors. “Thanks to the revised election law, which offers rewards for law violation reports, even secret offers of money are laid bare,” said one election observer.

Min-Hyuk Park mhpark@donga.com