Prosecutors have asked a court to impose a 1 million won ($690) fine on Dobong District Chief Kim Dong-wook, who was indicted for visiting 30 offices inside the Dobong District Office during this year's June 3 local elections.
Prosecutors made the request on the 14th at a hearing on Kim's alleged violation of the Public Official Election Act before the 11th criminal division of the Seoul Northern District Court, presided over by Chief Judge Choi Kyung-seo, according to legal sources. Under the Public Official Election Act, an election winner loses the office if a fine of 1 million won or more is finalized for a crime related to that election. Prosecutors sought the same 1 million won fine for a person surnamed Jeon, who had proposed that Kim visit the district office.
Kim is accused of visiting 30 offices in the main building of the Dobong District Office and greeting employees on May 21 this year, the first day of official campaigning for the June 3 local elections, while he was a candidate. Kim and Jeon are said to have admitted to the charges at the hearing.
Kim's lawyer said a campaign official had asked the election commission about the matter and received confirmation that a visit to the district office was permissible. "As soon as we were contacted by police that day about a possible violation of the Public Official Election Act, we stopped the office visits and canceled a planned visit to the Dobong Public Health Center," the lawyer said.
The lawyer added that Kim stayed in each office for about 14 to 20 seconds, doing little more than greeting staff from the doorway, and that it was difficult to conclude the visits had affected the outcome given the 7,317-vote margin over his closest rival. "It deserves criticism that he did not fully grasp the provisions of the Public Official Election Act and failed to exercise careful attention, but imposing a sentence that voids his election is excessively harsh," the lawyer said.
In his closing statement, Kim said he had asked a campaign official whether the commission had been consulted about visiting district office rooms and went ahead after being told it had been confirmed. "I deeply regret my mistake of not checking the procedures closely," he said. "If I am granted leniency, I will work for Dobong District."
The court plans to deliver its ruling on Kim and Jeon at 10 a.m. on Dec. 18.