The Democratic Party of Korea on Monday filed a criminal complaint against Rep. Kim Jae-sub of the People Power Party, who raised allegations regarding a 1995 assault case involving Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party's candidate for Seoul mayor.
"The Democratic Party filed a complaint against Rep. Kim on charges of publishing false information for the purpose of causing a candidate to lose an election, under Article 250, Paragraph 2 of the Public Official Election Act," Lee Ju-hee, the party's floor spokesperson, said in a written briefing Monday. Earlier that morning, Rep. Kim held a press conference at the National Assembly communication hall, claiming that the case was not a dispute stemming from differing views on the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement but rather a "drunken assault incident."
"The People Power Party's negative campaigning has reached a point that is hard to watch," Lee said. "After abandoning the national interest and praying for government policies to fail, they are now dragging up a 30-year-old incident involving candidate Jung and spreading false information."
Regarding the Yangcheon-gu Council stenographic record that Rep. Kim cited as evidence, Lee said, "Ignoring even the finalized court ruling that has already been made public, they brought out a stenographic record containing only a district councilor's one-sided claims and made a fuss with provocative lies and rhetoric, as if some new fact had been revealed."
"Before smearing the Democratic Party with outdated black propaganda, the proper course is for the People Power Party to first reflect to the bone and apologize for the insurrection committed by its No. 1 member and the three years of state ruin," Lee said. "The People Power Party's petty negative campaigning, aimed at covering up Yoon Suk-yeol's insurrection and governance failures and Oh Se-hoon's failed city administration, will not be tolerated by Seoul citizens."
