Arrest warrants dismissed for two close associates of North Chungcheong Province governor over 'suspicion of illegal election campaign'

Warrant judge: “It is difficult to recognize grounds for arrest in light of the progress of the investigation.”

(Cheongju = Yonhap News) Reporter Park Geon-young = Two close associates of the trustworthy North Chungcheong governor who were suspected of conducting illegal election campaigns ahead of the June 3 local elections escaped arrest.

On the 4th, Chief Judge Tae Ji-young of the Cheongju District Court in charge of warrants dismissed a preliminary arrest warrant for two people, including Mr. A, who was a close associate of Governor Shin and a key staff member of the election camp, on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act.

Chief Judge Tae explained the reason for the dismissal, saying, "In light of the evidence collected to date and the progress of the investigation, it is difficult to acknowledge the reason and reasonableness of the arrest."

Earlier, when Mr. A and others appeared at the court to receive a substantive examination of the warrant, they pushed away the reporters and moved at a fast pace without giving any answers to the questions, "Do you admit the charges?" and "Are there any injustices?"

Mr. A and others are accused of opening a mobile phone in the name of about 10 people, including election camp officials, in February ahead of the Democratic Party of Korea's North Chungcheong branch primary and sending text messages to party members appealing for their support for Governor Shin.

It is reported that they set up an illegal office somewhere in Cheongju and hired about 10 people to send tens of thousands of election promotional text messages.

The Public Official Election Act stipulates that only candidates and prospective candidates can conduct election campaigns by sending text messages to multiple people at the same time, and that only one mobile phone notified to the National Election Commission must be used.

Mr. A is also accused of providing operating funds worth 37 million won, including labor costs for sending text messages.

Based on evidence obtained through cell phone forensics of those involved, the police are said to be planning to hand Governor Shin over to the Public Prosecution Office, believing that he gave instructions to Mr. A and others to campaign using cell phones under borrowed names.

Governor Shin completely denied the allegations during the police investigation, and at an employee meeting held the previous day, he said, "We will deal with this confidently, so please public officials to focus on provincial government work without wavering."