Jung Yi-han, a former Busan mayoral candidate of the Reform Party, has been indicted while in custody on charges of personally orchestrating a "drink-throwing" incident during campaigning ahead of the June 3 local elections. Prosecutors concluded that the candidate went beyond simply spreading false information, planning and directing a staged event with the intent to influence the election.
The Public and International Crimes Investigation Division of the Busan District Prosecutors' Office said on the 31st that it had indicted Jung while in custody on charges of abetting obstruction of election freedom, publicizing false information under the Public Official Election Act, and obstruction of official duties by fraudulent means.
Prosecutors also indicted while in custody an accomplice, a fitness trainer in his 30s identified as A, who carried out the act, on charges of publicizing false information under the Public Official Election Act, inflicting bodily harm, and obstruction of official duties by fraudulent means.
Jung and A are accused of pre-arranging and staging the so-called "drink terror," in which a beverage was thrown at Jung during campaigning near the Guseo interchange in Busan's Geumjeong District on April 27.
The two had known each other for 10 years, and the investigation found they devised the crime to raise Jung's name recognition and help him in the election.
Prosecutors explained that through supplementary investigation after the case was referred by police, they confirmed the staged event was carried out according to Jung's plan and specific instructions, and added the charge of abetting obstruction of election freedom under the Public Official Election Act before indicting him in custody.
They also said they had closely consulted with police on evidence and the application of law from the early stages of the investigation, and that the prosecutor in charge personally attended the pre-detention suspect interrogation to demonstrate the need for detention.
"This is a case in which an election candidate planned and carried out a staged event for purposes such as boosting name recognition, a serious crime that undermined the fairness of the election," a prosecution official said. "We will do our best to maintain the prosecution so that punishment commensurate with the crime is carried out."
