Jeju Province Issues 'Election Law Advisory' for Chuseok... Fines of Up to 50 Times for Receiving Illegal Gifts

[Financial News Jeju = Reporter Jeong Yong-bok] Ahead of Chuseok, enforcement is being strengthened against politicians or prospective candidates providing gifts, food, and other items to constituents under the pretext of holiday greetings. If money or valuables are received in violation of election laws, not only the provider but also the recipient may be subject to a fine ranging from 10 to 50 times the amount received.
According to the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Election Commission on the 11th, the Commission will strengthen prevention and enforcement activities against election law violations, including donation activities by politicians and prospective candidates, before and after the Chuseok holiday.
The subjects include local governments, political parties, National Assembly members, and local council members, as well as prospective candidates for the local sports association president election this coming December and the 4th Nationwide Simultaneous Cooperative President Election on March 3 next year, along with related institutions and organizations.
Not all donations and greetings are prohibited simply because it is a holiday. One must distinguish between permissible acts and acts that constitute donations under election law.
It is permissible to visit military units within an electoral district to provide consolation money and goods or to donate relief money and goods to organizations that organize and carry out charitable work. However, providing items with a job title, name, or similar designation marked on the individual item or packaging may be illegal.
Posting ceremonial Chuseok greeting banners on the street or sending ceremonial holiday greetings via text message is also permitted.
On the other hand, politicians or prospective candidates are prohibited from providing fruit or gifts to senior citizen centers within their electoral districts under the pretext of holiday greetings.
Even if an act falls under an exception that is not considered a donation under the law, making election campaign-related remarks, such as soliciting support while giving money or valuables, can still be problematic.
Voters who receive money or valuables must also be careful. The Public Official Election Act and the Act on Entrusted Elections of Public Organizations, etc. stipulate that a person who receives illegally provided money or valuables, such as holiday gifts or meals, may be subject to an administrative fine ranging from 10 to 50 times the amount or value of the goods received.
In past cases disclosed by the National Election Commission, heads of local governments and public officials were criminally punished for providing or instructing the provision of holiday gifts in the name of a local government or its head to key local figures. The total fines imposed on the 902 people who received the gifts at the time amounted to approximately 590 million won.
There is also a case in which holiday gifts led to punishment in a cooperative president election. A prospective candidate was caught providing one box of apple gift sets, worth a total of 1.26 million won, to each of 45 cooperative members and their family members, and the recipients were fined approximately 12 million won.
This Chuseok crackdown is also noteworthy because it comes ahead of a series of entrusted elections to be held in Jeju Province.
The local sports association president election is scheduled for this coming December, and the 4th Nationwide Simultaneous Cooperative President Election will be held on March 3 next year. In Jeju Province, where personal ties between members of agricultural, fisheries, and livestock cooperatives and the local community are close, preventive measures are important to ensure that providing holiday gifts or meals does not lead to violations of election law.
The Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Election Commission plans to inform local governments, political parties, politicians, prospective candidates, and related institutions and organizations about illegal practices and focus on examining whether money or valuables have been provided. It plans to take action under a zero-tolerance policy if illegal acts are confirmed despite prior guidance.
The identity of informants is protected by law. A reward of up to 500 million won may be paid to an informant who makes a significant contribution to detecting illegal acts. Reports and tips concerning election law violations can be made nationwide by calling 1390.
An official from the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Election Commission said, "We plan to respond strictly under a zero-tolerance policy if illegal acts, such as providing holiday gifts, occur," and added, "If you discover any illegal acts, please report them to 1390 or the relevant election commission."


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