Kim Young-hwan, then-Governor of North Chungcheong Province, speaking at an executive meeting last January. [Photo=North Chungcheong Province] 

Former North Chungcheong Province Governor Kim Young-hwan has strongly criticized the National Election Commission (NEC) for voter turnout manipulation and illegal fraudulent election practices that have been surfacing since the start of an investigation, and has called for nationwide re-elections.

On the morning of the 25th, Kim expressed his outrage via Facebook regarding evidence uncovered during an investigation by a joint police-prosecution task force into charges of falsification and alteration of public electronic records at the NEC headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, as well as local NEC offices in Seoul’s Songpa, Gangnam, and Seocho districts, and across the Chungcheong region. He stated, "Do they see the people as dogs and pigs? Are we expected to remain silent even after this?"

Pointing to remarks by an NEC official to the effect that "it is enough as long as the final voter count and turnout rate match," Kim lamented, "I had no idea the NEC was so corrupt that they would manipulate real-time voter turnout, which has a decisive impact on the sentiments of the electorate and the outcome of an election."

"This is a clear case of fraud, and the investigation must determine how far and wide the poisonous mushroom of corruption has spread, and who planned, overlooked, and benefited from these crimes," he added. "I bow my head in apology to the young people and the citizens for my previous stance of distancing myself from those who claimed election fraud on the grounds that there was no definitive evidence."

Kim further stated, "At this very moment, I cannot accept the election results, and I cannot trust any future elections." He lashed out, saying, "The manipulation of voter counts and vote percentages is pervasive; it is a subject for a full-scale investigation. How is this any different from suggesting we close up a surgery and wait just because the patient hasn't died yet, even though they have a cancer with a 100% mortality rate?"

Concluding that the current situation represents "the greatest crisis for our nation's democracy," he urged for a nationwide rally and participation to restore constitutional order, stating, "First, let us gather at Olympic Park. Let those who have been raising these allegations gather first. Let us raise the cries and banners of democracy once again."

A Facebook post by former North Chungcheong Governor Kim Young-hwan. [Capture]