Jo Hae-ju, Yoon Ho-joong, Lee Hae-chan, Ko Han-seok, and Yang Jeong-cheol (from left), identified as key figures in election fraud. [Photo = Yonhap News]

On April 13, 2020, remarks made by Jung Bong-ju, leader of the Open Democratic Party, two days before the general election, sent shockwaves through the political landscape at the time.

He fiercely criticized, stating, "I know what beastly acts you, Lee, Yang, and Yoon, have committed."

The media and political circles largely interpreted this to mean he was referring to Lee Hae-chan (or Lee Geun-hyeong, then Democratic Party Strategy Planning Committee Chairman), Yang Jeong-cheol, former Director of the Democratic Research Institute, and Yoon Ho-joong, then Secretary-General.

The actions of these individuals, who are at the center of these suspicions, remain unclear. Yang Jeong-cheol visited China in July 2019, prior to the general election, and signed an official policy agreement with the Party School, a think tank of the Communist Party.

However, he disappeared from public view after the election, leaving behind sentiments of fear regarding the results, and various speculations, including theories of him hiding overseas, are currently being raised.

Concerns are heightened by the fact that Lee Geun-hyeong, also implicated, was a key figure in election strategy, having served as a public opinion survey secretary in the Blue House under the Roh Moo-hyun administration and as deputy head of the strategy division for Moon Jae-in's presidential campaign in the 19th election.

Lee Hae-chan advocated for a "50-year left-wing rule theory" in 2018, emphasizing the elimination of opposition parties and the establishment of inter-Korean relations. He then passed away under unclear circumstances in Vietnam in January 2026. Yoon Ho-joong, subsequently, held a key position in the Ministry of the Interior and Safety under the Lee Jae-myung administration.

Criticism regarding these personal connections was specifically addressed during the "Grand Debate on Election Irregularities" held on February 27, 2026.

Kim Mi-young, CEO of VON, who attended as a panelist that day, made a bold statement identifying Yoon Ho-joong, Jo Hae-ju, Lee Hae-chan, Ko Han-seok, and Yang Jeong-cheol as the key figures in the election suspicions. She publicly challenged anyone to sue her if her claims were false, but no clear legal action from the implicated parties has been confirmed yet.

Jo Hae-ju, the former Standing Committee Member mentioned here, was a figure who oversaw internal administrative affairs of the National Election Commission, having served as a Standing Committee Member of the 17th National Election Commission and as Director of the Election Study Institute.

Furthermore, Ko Han-seok, former secretary to the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon who passed away in 2020, is a big data expert with experience working in China and previously served as deputy director of the Democratic Research Institute. Controversies surrounding his past actions, related to the 1992 South Korean Workers' Party spy case, remain one of the core, ongoing suspicions.

Based on these circumstances and the network of individuals, the following 10 key issues related to election fairness will be summarized:

1. Suspicion of Organized Planning: It is suggested that election irregularities and fraud may have been meticulously planned by the leadership of a specific political faction within the Democratic Party, particularly driven by the Democratic Research Institute, which formulates the party's election strategies.

2. Suspicion of Links to Foreign Forces: Clear clarification is needed regarding the circumstances of key figures in the suspicions having close contact with foreign forces, such as past visits to China or official agreements with major Chinese institutions.

3. Suspicion of Intervention by Individuals with North Korean Ties: Doubts are continuously raised about the involvement of individuals with a history of contact with North Korea in suspicions of election and political manipulation.

4. Suspicion of Collusion with US Global Political Forces: There are suspicions that these individuals have formed international networks and allied with US political entities, such as the Democratic Party or the Republican Bush-era Neoconservative forces, through overseas studies and residencies at research institutions.

5. Controversy of Complicity by NEC Leadership: It is difficult to avoid criticism that the former and current top leaders of the National Election Commission (NEC) since 2018, including Kwon Soon-il, Noh Jeong-hee, and Noh Tae-ak, failed to uphold the integrity of election management and effectively condoned mismanagement and the raising of suspicions.

6. Monopolization of Positions and Suspicious Activities: Public suspicions remain unresolved regarding the activities of individuals who monopolized key positions during a specific regime, and the sudden incapacitation of some individuals.

7. Suspicion Regarding the Appropriateness of 5.18 Veterans Registration: As revealed by former NIS investigator Lee Yeo-jin in May 2026, claims have been raised and are causing controversy that key figures in the election and political circles have been registered as specific veterans and have received special treatment.

8. Undermining of Constitutional and Judicial Institutions' Neutrality: It is pointed out that some leaders of the Constitutional Court, NEC, and the judiciary have failed to maintain strict political neutrality and have degenerated into institutions protecting specific factions through bribery (e.g., the 50 Billion Club).

9. Political Exploitation of National Crisis Situations: There are suspicions that these individuals were involved in the process of planning and utilizing the impeachment of two conservative presidents and the COVID-19 pandemic as means of public control and regime maintenance.

10. Existence of Sympathetic Forces within Existing Political Parties: It is gaining traction that even some individuals within conservative parties have tacitly acknowledged or secretly sympathized with this grand political current, contributing to the cover-up of suspicions.

Conclusion: The People's Demand for Sovereignty Restoration and Truth Verification

There is strong criticism that the recent suspicious circumstances surrounding various irregularities in the local elections are the result of these individuals attempting a regime change and being caught by public scrutiny. If these suspicions are true, they represent a grave attempt to undermine South Korea's sovereignty and paralyze its constitutional order.

Now, the anger of the 2030 youth and the public, who seek to protect their sovereignty, is soaring, and their spontaneous demand for the truth about election transparency is uncontrollably growing.

Those implicated in election fraud allegations must reveal all truths to the public and face legal judgment without further delay. That would be the minimum duty to the sovereign citizens of South Korea and their last chance to seek absolution.

◆ Shin Suk-hee, Representative

Co-Representative, International Free Sovereign Alliance

Overseas Korean Representative, Australia

Ph.D. in TESOL, University of Sydney