Is Jung Won-oh’s Book Talk a Campaign Violation? The Legal Battle Ahead for Seoul’s Mayoral Candidates

[Green Economy News = Reporter Im Chae-young] The upcoming Seoul mayoral election has taken an early legal turn as the People Power Party’s (PPP) Seoul chapter files a complaint against Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party-affiliated Seongdong District Mayor, for alleged violations of the Public Official Election Act. The PPP has taken issue with Jung’s frequent “book concerts,” while Jung’s camp vigorously defends these as legitimate activities vetted by the Election Commission.

On the 10th, the PPP’s Seoul chapter, led by Chairwoman Bae Hyun-jin, issued a press release announcing their formal complaint against Jung Won-oh to both the Seoul Election Commission and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, citing violations of the Public Official Election Act.

◆ PPP Alleges Frequent Weekday Book Concerts Constitute Pre-Election Campaigning, Misusing Public Office

In their complaint, the PPP contends that Jung’s book concert activities amount to “pre-election campaigning,” which is prohibited under the Public Official Election Act.

The party cites the Central Election Commission’s interpretation, which stipulates that even 90 days before an election, repeatedly holding book launch events or inviting numerous constituents to promote a potential candidate can be classified as pre-election campaigning.

The PPP particularly objects to the frequency and timing of these events. They assert that since last December, Jung has conducted approximately six “book talk” events to promote his publication, inviting Seoul citizens to gatherings held during weekday afternoons across various districts, including Seongdong, Yeongdeungpo, and Jongno.

Furthermore, they emphasize that Jung has been considered a potential mayoral candidate since President Lee Jae-myung’s public mention on December 8 last year. They argue that Jung’s subsequent political statements targeting Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s key policies violate the law prohibiting public officials from leveraging their positions to influence elections.

◆ Jung’s Camp Counters: Events Were Invitation-Based and Overseen by Election Commission

A spokesperson for Jung’s team told our publication that these events were not organized or planned by Mayor Jung himself; rather, he attended as an invited author at the request of the event organizers.

The spokesperson also dismissed concerns about legality, stating, “All events underwent prior review and interpretation by the Election Commission. In fact, Commission representatives were present at the events. There are no issues under election law.” They firmly rejected the controversy.

Political analysts view this complaint as the opening salvo in the upcoming local elections. As Jung intensifies his efforts to become Seoul’s first “three-term district mayor” to serve as city mayor, the ruling PPP appears to be launching preemptive measures to check his momentum.

With both sides firmly entrenched in their positions, the outcomes of the Election Commission and police investigations are expected to significantly influence the dynamics of the upcoming Seoul mayoral race.