On the 23rd, the National Election Commission said, ‘But! Jaemyung Lee is not allowed!’ Four days after controversy over bias arose after the banner was not permitted, it was decided to allow it, saying, “At a time when the impeachment trial decision of the Constitutional Court is still in progress, the part ‘Lee Jae-myung is not allowed’ can be seen as a simple political slogan.” Previously, the National Election Commission decided to disallow Rep. Chung’s ‘Lee Jae-myung is not allowed’ banner while allowing the ‘Rebellion leader Yoon Seok-yeol not to participate in the impeachment, Jeong Yeon-wook is also an accomplice to the rebellion’ displayed by the People Power Party in Rep. Jeong Yeon-wook’s constituency (Busan Suyeong). It was overturned .
Election Commission Chairman Noh Tae-ak held a plenary meeting from 5:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. on this day and discussed the banner controversy as an emergency agenda item. After the meeting, the National Election Commission said, “There was criticism that it was premised on a vacant election following the results of the Constitutional Court’s presidential impeachment trial, so we carefully reviewed it at the plenary meeting,” and added, “Considering social changes and the public’s expectations, we decided to broadly guarantee freedom of political expression.” “We have confirmed that Article 254 of the Public Official Election Act (violation of election campaign period) will be implemented,” he said. He acknowledged that it was wrong to treat an early presidential election as a fait accompli, assuming impeachment, when the impeachment trial had not yet begun. It is reported that the National Election Commission will hold off on revising the Public Official Election Act to strengthen punishment for suspicions of election fraud. In response, the Democratic Party of Korea protested, asking, “Have you yielded to the pressure of the People Power Party?” The People Power Party plans to take legal action after conducting a thorough investigation of the banner depicting the ruling party’s lawmakers as ‘accomplices to the rebellion.’
There was also criticism from the political world that “the National Election Commission goes back and forth.” Ahead of the 21st general election in April 2020, the National Election Commission allowed the phrases ‘liquidation of pro-Japanese’ and ‘liquidation of deep-rooted evils’ put forward by the candidate of the then ruling Democratic Party, while allowing the phrase ‘destruction of people’s livelihood’ written by the candidate of the opposition United Future Party (now People Power Party). There was controversy as it was not allowed. Experts pointed out, “As the banner controversy continues, the National Election Commission is diminishing its own authority.”
● National Election Commission reverses decision to disapprove after 4 days of controversy
Previously, when Rep. Jeong inquired about the possibility of posting a banner saying ‘Lee Jae-myung is not allowed’ on the 16th, the National Election Commission and the Busan National Election Commission said, “As there is a possibility of an early presidential election, pre-election campaigning for the purpose of losing the election may violate the Public Official Election Act. there is. The response was to the effect that “banners cannot be posted.”
Then, the controversy began to grow when Rep. Jeong made public the fact that permission was not granted on the 19th. The People Power Party strongly criticized it as “political and biased behavior” and demanded a reexamination. As the controversy over political neutrality spread, the National Election Commission changed its position from its response to the National Assembly that day.
When People Power Party lawmaker Cho Eun-hee asked at the general meeting of the National Assembly Public Administration and Security Committee held at the National Assembly that ‘the double standard for banners is controversial,’ Secretary General Kim Yong-bin said, “The person in charge reviewed it, but only the text of the law was reviewed.” “It was a hasty decision.” Secretary-General Kim then explained, “We allowed banners like ‘Jaemyung, let’s go to jail’ because they fall within the realm of freedom of political expression,” adding, “We made the decision based only on the provisions regarding the pre-election campaign.” When the National Election Commission revealed its position, Representative Jeong said, “It is a case that is difficult to justify.” At the National Election Commission plenary meeting on this day, those who spread false information about early voting and ballot counting were sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. It has been reported that they have agreed to put on hold the push for a revision to the Public Official Election Act that would sentence . A key official of the National Election Commission said, “The National Election Commission Secretariat had the will to push for legislation, but we have no choice but to accept the opinion that the National Assembly should be cautious.” He added, “A consensus has been formed that it is not appropriate to pursue it right away.” Previously, the People Power Party protested, calling it “the National Election Commission’s self-sanctuary law.”
● “The National Election Commission brought controversy over political neutrality”
The People Power Party raised the alarm, saying, “This is not the first time the National Election Commission has made a biased decision.” Ahead of the April 7, 2021, by-elections, the People Power Party inquired as to whether it could use phrases encouraging voting containing expressions such as ‘naeronambul,’ ‘hypocrisy,’ and ‘incompetence.’ “It is being used as an expression referring to the Democratic Party,” he said, refusing to allow it.
Cha Jin-ah, a professor at Korea University Law School, said, “The National Election Commission is losing its political neutrality and fairness,” and pointed out, “The loss of trust in the National Election Commission and the increasing number of people who cannot accept the election results are a really big threat to democracy.”
Reporter Lee Sang-heon [email protected]
Reporter Jo Kwon-hyung [email protected]
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