Kim Duk-hyun, the People Power Party candidate for Yeoncheon County chief in Gyeonggi Province, has raised allegations that Democratic Party candidate Park Choong-sik publicized false information regarding his "U.S. Certified Public Accountant (AICPA)" credential, calling for swift verification and strict investigation by the National Election Commission. The dispute over the "U.S. CPA" credential, which erupted 12 days before the June 3 local elections, has emerged as the biggest issue in the Yeoncheon County chief race.
Kim held a press conference on the 22nd and claimed, "The 'U.S. Certified Public Accountant' credential that candidate Park listed on his election bulletin and posters is highly likely to be false." He stated, "After checking through the official license verification websites of state accountancy boards across the United States, no license under the name Park Choong-sik was found anywhere."
Kim's camp added that Park's name could not be found in the "Foreign Certified Public Accountant" registry maintained by the Financial Services Commission either. Kim criticized, "Candidate Park used the same credential in three elections — the 2010 Gyeonggi Provincial Council election, the 2018 Yeoncheon County Council election, and the 2022 Gyeonggi Provincial Council election," adding, "He has been deceiving voters for 16 years."
According to Kim's camp, the U.S. Certified Public Accountant (USCPA) qualification cannot be obtained merely by passing the exam. Their position is that one must fulfill the practical experience requirements set by each state and obtain an official license from that state's accountancy board to use the title "Certified Public Accountant (CPA)," and using the title without such a license is subject to punishment even in the United States.
Kim said, "If candidate Park holds a valid license, he should disclose the license number, the state of issuance, and the renewal status," urging that "if he cannot prove it, he must withdraw from the candidacy."
Article 250 of the Public Official Election Act stipulates that anyone who publicizes false information about a candidate's credentials for the purpose of getting elected shall be punished by imprisonment of up to five years or a fine of up to 30 million won. Article 64, Paragraph 6 of the same act allows the National Election Commission to request submission of supporting documents when false information is published on election posters.
In response, Park told The Seoul Economic Daily by phone, "I find the spread of false information very regrettable," adding, "I will explain in detail through a press conference on the 23rd." He dismissed the allegations as "baseless speculation arising from an ignorant situation in which there is no understanding of the license in question."
A National Election Commission official said, "As a complaint has been filed, we plan to proceed with an investigation according to procedure."
