Police announced they have detected 927 election law violators and referred 150 to prosecutors ahead of the 9th nationwide local elections scheduled for June 3. The police, operating dedicated election crime investigation teams, said they are making all-out efforts to combat election crimes including macro program abuse and disinformation.
According to the National Police Agency on the 3rd, police have investigated 310 election crime cases involving 927 individuals nationwide, referring 150 of them to prosecutors. Of the remainder, 152 were disposed of without referral, while investigations continue for the remaining 625.
Police have organized dedicated election crime investigation teams at metropolitan and provincial police agencies and local police stations nationwide since February 3, when preliminary candidate registration began for the June local elections, conducting intensive crackdowns on election crimes. They are particularly focusing on disinformation spread through organized methods such as macro programs.
Acting National Police Agency Commissioner Yoo Jae-sung said, "We will strengthen intelligence gathering on election-related illegal activities," adding, "We will apply a zero-tolerance principle to major election crimes that seriously undermine fairness and respond strictly regardless of political party or position."
He explained that police plan to respond sternly with detention investigations against the spread of fake news and manipulated information, as well as organized comment manipulation using macro programs. "We will concentrate police capabilities until election day to ensure stable and orderly elections," he emphasized.
Meanwhile, the National Police Agency's Special Investigation Headquarters, which is investigating cases related to the three special counsel probes, announced it is currently investigating 108 cases in total. Investigation Team 1, handling the deceased Marine special counsel matters, has 2 cases; Investigation Team 2, handling the insurrection special counsel matters, has 23 cases; and Investigation Team 3, handling the Kim Keon-hee special counsel matters, has 83 cases. Police plan to discuss case transfers soon in consultation with the second comprehensive special counsel, which was officially launched on February 25.