[iNews24 reporter Jinwoo Lee] Joo Nak-young, a candidate for mayor of Gyeongju, dismissed allegations about his home ownership and the source of his rental deposit funds as malicious falsehoods and urged critics to stop the slander.
On his Facebook page, Joo said, "In the last election they attacked me as not being from Gyeongju, calling me a 'Pohang person.' This time they've gone further — they've even created AI-generated images portraying me as someone who would leave Gyeongju and move to Pohang."
![AI-generated image portraying Joo Nak-young as someone who would leave Gyeongju and move to Pohang. [Photo: screenshot from Joo Nak-young\'s Facebook]](https://contents-cdn.viewus.co.kr/image/2026/04/CP-2023-0087/image-549ca7b0-b115-43c9-b489-36fbcd669e83.png)
"I already addressed the housing issue on Facebook recently, but people continue to distort the facts," he said. "My wife and I do not own property in Pohang; we are clearly a one-household, one-home family."
Regarding the Seoul apartment, he explained, "I bought it for residential purposes while working at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Apartment prices rose during the Moon Jae-in administration, which increased the potential capital gains tax burden, so I have not been able to sell it."
On the allegation that city hall supported his jeonse (rental deposit) in Gyeongju, he said, "These claims are malicious falsehoods and could amount to defamation. I want to ask how they intend to handle this legally."
Joo added, "This pattern of repeating the same attacks every election must stop. Campaigns should be dignified and compete on policy and vision, not on slander and false accusations against opponents."
