[Herald Economy (Yeongju) — Reporter Kim Byung-jin] The Yeongju City Election Commission in North Gyeongsang said on the 23rd that it has referred a case to prosecutors, accusing a candidate’s family of providing a sponsorship donation in the candidate’s name at an alumni event in violation of the Public Official Election Act.According to a Gyeongbuk election commission official, A — a family member of B, a prospective proportional-representation candidate for the Yeongju City Council — allegedly wrote B’s name on an envelope containing 100,000 KRW (about $75) and handed it over as a sponsorship at a local elementary school alumni sports day held in mid-month.
Article 114 of the Public Official Election Act bars a candidate’s direct ascendants and descendants, spouse, and siblings from making any donations related to an election before the official campaign period, and from making any donations at all during the campaign period even if the donation is unrelated to the election.
Violators may face up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 10 million KRW (about $7,500).
