In a last-minute maneuver to better its chances against the ruling Grand National Party in tomorrow’s by-elections, the Democratic Party officially filed a complaint asking prosecutors to launch a probe into GNP Gangwon gubernatorial candidate Ohm Ki-young on charges of violating election laws by hiring people to make phone calls in a Gangneung vacation rental and urging Gangwon residents to vote for him in tomorrow’s by-elections.
In a complaint submitted to the Chuncheon District Prosecutors’ Office at 11 a.m. yesterday, the DP said Ohm violated election laws because the vacation rental used for promoting Ohm was not registered as a campaign office with the National Election Commission.
Gangneung police raided the rental on Friday and arrested 31 people in connection with the operation.
The raid was carried out after police received a tip from the DP that the callers allegedly received free meals and 50,000 won ($45) per day. DP said providing meals and cash also violates an election law.
“[Ohm] claims he’s not involved in this matter, but an organization that he headed was involved systematically,” read the DP’s complaint filed with the prosecution. “Without [Ohm’s] involvement, it would’ve been impossible that over 100 million won was used for operating an illegal [campaign] office.”
In a related matter, a local court issued a warrant allowing police to arrest a man surnamed Choi on charges of initiating the illegal call center plan.
According to police, Choi previously worked with the 2018 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games Bid Community Public Support Association, which was headed by Ohm until March.
Police said Choi worked as Ohm’s special adviser in the association and he was a former aide of a GNP lawmaker.
“After examining the educational material provided to hired callers, they were instructed to call a cell phone number if they received any complaint calls,” said an investigator at Gangneung Police. “We confirmed it was Choi’s phone number.”
The GNP is fighting back. It also filed a complaint asking Chuncheon prosecutors to investigate Ohm’s rival, DP Gangwon gubernatorial candidate Choi Moon-soon, on charges of spreading false information. It filed it just 30 minutes after the DP filed its complaint.
In the complaint submitted to the prosecutors, the GNP argued that Choi sent text messages to Gangwon residents with false information on April 18, saying that broadcaster SBS reported on April 15 that Choi was just 1 percent behind Ohm, and wrote, “It’s a close match.”
“SBS news didn’t report such a poll and recent polls showed Ohm is 10 to 20 percent ahead of Choi and that is not a close match,” read GNP’s complaint.
A Choi campaign official said the text message was not fact-checked when it was sent after a campaign official saw an Internet item saying that SBS reported such news on April 15.
Tomorrow’s by-elections will fill three vacancies in the legislature. Gangwon will elect its new governor.
By Kim Mi-ju [mijukim@joongang.co.kr]
