Prosecution Service seeks 1 million won fine for Dobong District Mayor Kim Dong-wook over alleged door-to-door visits

[Financial News] The Prosecution Service has sought a 1 million won fine for Kim Dong-wook, mayor of Seoul’s Dobong District, who is accused of directly visiting the district office during the election period to conduct “door-to-door visits.”
According to legal sources on the 14th, the 11th Criminal Division of the Seoul Northern District Court, presided over by Senior Judge Choi Gyeong-seo, held the first hearing that afternoon for Mayor Kim, who was indicted on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act by making prohibited door-to-door visits.
Mayor Kim was indicted on allegations that, on the morning of May 21—the first day of campaigning for the June 3 local elections—he visited each office in turn, from the second to the 15th floor of the main building of Dobong District Office.
The Public Official Election Act prohibits visiting individual premises for election campaigning. Violations are punishable by up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 6 million won. Under the act, if a person elected to office receives a final sentence of imprisonment or a fine of 1 million won or more for an election-related crime in that election, the election is invalidated.
The Seoul Northern District Prosecution Service asked the court to sentence Mayor Kim to a 1 million won fine and order him to make a provisional payment of an equivalent amount. It also sought a 1 million won fine for Jeon, who proposed visiting the Dobong District Office.
Mayor Kim’s side admitted all the charges in the indictment that day. Appearing in the defendant’s seat without being detained, Mayor Kim answered “Yes” when the judge asked, “Do you admit all the alleged facts?”
Mayor Kim’s side argued that the case stemmed from poor communication between the election campaign and the National Election Commission. His lawyer explained that Kim visited the district office on the first day of the campaign period to encourage employees, and that he spent only about 14 to 20 seconds in each office, greeting people at the entrance.
Kim’s side also stressed that he visited only after checking with the National Election Commission that a visit to the district office was permitted. It said legal disputes had continued over whether individual offices within a district office fall under the term “house” in the Public Official Election Act’s restriction on door-to-door visits, and argued that invalidating his election would be excessively harsh.
In his final statement, Mayor Kim said, “I deeply regret the mistake of failing to check the procedures carefully.” He then appealed for leniency so that he could continue working for the district’s residents.
Jeon said, “I tried to live without causing harm to others, and I’m sorry that I ended up causing trouble for Mayor Kim Dong-wook. If I had not stopped at trusting the employee and had checked once more myself, this would not have happened.” Jeon added, “I believe I should of course take responsibility for what I did wrong,” and “I will spend the rest of my life repenting for my mistake and living diligently.”
The investigation began on June 16, after the election, when former Dobong District Mayor Oh Un-seok filed a complaint against Mayor Kim with the Seoul Dobong Police Station. In the previous local election, Oh, of the People Power Party, lost by 7,317 votes to Kim, of the Democratic Party of Korea. Oh received 81,809 votes (47.85%), while Kim won 89,126 (52.14%).
The Seoul Dobong Police Station referred Mayor Kim to the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors’ Office (now the Seoul Northern District Prosecution Service) on August 13.
Sentencing for Mayor Kim and Jeon will take place at around 10 a.m. on December 18 at the Seoul Northern District Court.
[email protected] Seo Ji-yoon Reporter