Police try to transfer trusted North Chungcheong governor without detention on suspicion of illegal election campaign

It was confirmed on the 29th that the police are planning to forward Shinhan North Chungcheong Province Governor, who is suspected of illegally campaigning using a mobile phone under a borrowed name during the June 3 local elections, to the Public Prosecution Office.

The Chungbuk Police Agency's Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Unit reports that Governor Shin ordered election camp officials to carry out an illegal election campaign, and plans to send him without detention as early as next week on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act by making donations, purchasing, inducing interest, and campaigning methods.

In addition, arrest warrants will be requested for Mr. A and Mr. B, key officials in this case and close associates of Governor Shin, and a decision will soon be made on whether or not to transfer about 30 people including them.

Governor Shin is accused of sending text messages to party members appealing for support after opening a mobile phone in the name of about 10 people, including those involved in the election campaign, at the end of March, when the Democratic Party of Korea's North Chungcheong gubernatorial primary was underway.

It was discovered that Mr. A and Mr. B, who were key staff members of the election camp, opened mobile phones in the name of camp officials and others under Governor Shin's instructions, and hired about 10 people to send tens of thousands of election promotional text messages during the primary period.

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

The police are said to have secured the text message details in which Governor Shin gave instructions to Mr. A and others to campaign using cell phones under borrowed names through cell phone forensics of those involved.

In addition, it is known that Mr. A, who runs a business, paid approximately 37 million won in labor costs to employees who sent text messages, and that Governor Shin was aware of this fact.

The police determined that the amount spent by Mr. A in illegal election funds was not small, and on the 28th, they applied for an arrest warrant for Mr. B, who actively participated in the crime with Mr. A, on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act by making donations, purchasing, inducing interest, and campaigning methods.

However, in the case of Governor Shin, it was reported that he did not take action to secure new recruits as there was no evidence of him requesting illegal election funds from Mr. A or receiving direct financial benefits.

During the police investigation, Governor Shin reportedly denied the charges to the effect that "Mr. A and others did it voluntarily, unrelated to me."

A police official said, “As the investigation is ongoing, we cannot confirm anything.”