CEO Choi Chang-won attending the warrant review hearing [Yonhap News]Choi Chang-won, the head of the minor political party "Tomorrow to the Future" (currently the Pro-US Coalition), has avoided arrest. He is accused of using illegal political funds to produce banners that promote anti-Chinese sentiment and allegations of election fraud.

On the 9th, Kim Ji-hyun, the judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Southern District Court, dismissed the arrest warrant request after conducting a pre-arrest suspect interrogation (warrant review) for CEO Choi, who is suspected of violating the Political Funds Act, starting at 10:30 a.m.

Judge Kim explained the reason for the dismissal, stating, "Considering that the suspect has no prior criminal record and observing his attitude during the interrogation, it is difficult to conclude that there is a risk of flight or the destruction of evidence."

CEO Choi arrived at the court in a police vehicle at approximately 9:59 a.m. and entered the building with his gaze fixed on the ground. The original date for the hearing was the 7th, but the court rescheduled it to today after Choi failed to attend.

"Tomorrow to the Future" had posted banners containing content that expressed hatred toward China or promoted suspicions of election fraud following the December 3rd emergency martial law declaration.

Subsequently, allegations arose that the costs for producing these banners were funded through accounts not reported to the National Election Commission (NEC). In July of last year, the NEC filed a criminal complaint with the police, accusing the party of violating the Political Funds Act. The Act stipulates that all income and expenditures of political funds must be managed through a single account registered with the NEC.

An arrest warrant had also been requested for Mr. Kim, the head of the "Patriotic Banners" organization, who worked with the party on producing and posting the banners, but that request was also dismissed by the court on the 7th.

Political banners alleging 'election fraud' hung in downtown Gwangju [Yonhap News file photo] Political banners containing claims of election fraud are displayed on a roadside in Chipyeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju, on November 12 of last year. [Yonhap News]