Election Day High School 'KakaoTalk Censorship' Banner...Police Search Conservative Group

[Financial News] During the 21st presidential election, the police launched a forced investigation into a conservative educational group that posted a politically inclined banner at the main gate of a high school in Seoul.
The Seoul Suseo Police Station announced on the 20th that it had searched the Gangnam office and home of Mr. Kim, the representative of the 'Institute for Health Studies & Human Rights', on the 14th. In the process, electronic devices such as mobile phones and computers were secured, and digital forensic procedures are currently underway.
Mr. Kim and the institute are accused of hanging banners with the phrase "KakaoTalk Instagram censorship, don't block my words. The choice of high school seniors can protect freedom of expression" at hundreds of high school gates in Seoul ahead of the June 1 election. The incident came to light when a banner within 100m of a polling station was reported.
The Public Official Election Act stipulates that individuals or organizations, except for political parties, cannot post banners that can influence elections from 120 days before the election. The police are particularly focusing on the expression "KakaoTalk censorship" being used as a political message targeting a specific party.
Previously, in January, Jeon Yong-gi, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated that "spreading fake news through KakaoTalk can be sufficiently punished as rebellion propaganda," prompting the People Power Party and others to claim "KakaoTalk censorship."
A police official said, "The search was conducted only at Mr. Kim's home and the institute's office," and "the number of schools where the banners were hung needs further confirmation during the investigation." He added, "Installing banners within 100m of a polling station is clearly prohibited, so we started the investigation upon receiving a field report, and once the analysis of the seized items is complete, it will lead to a summons investigation."
The institute led by Mr. Kim has previously conducted campaigns to remove harmful media materials from school libraries in collaboration with organizations like 'Rebox School'. The police stated, "There is currently no confirmed connection with Rebox School," and "the scope of the investigation may expand depending on the results of the analysis of the seized items."

yesji@fnnews.com Kim Yeji Reporter