[Photo Credit: Yonhap News TV]

Kim Soon-hwan, Secretary-General of the civic group Citizens' Committee for the Welfare of the Working Class (CCWW), will appear before the police as a complainant in relation to a complaint filed against Chung Won-oh, the Seoul mayoral candidate for the Democratic Party of Korea. The complaint alleges a violation of the Public Official Election Act (dissemination of false information) regarding Chung's explanation of his past assault record. 

On May 20th, the CCWW filed a complaint stating, "The explanation by Seoul mayoral candidate Chung Won-oh that his past assault record was due to "a disagreement stemming from differences in perception of the May 18th Democratic Uprising" constitutes the dissemination of false information for the purpose of winning an election, which is a violation of the Public Official Election Act." In response, the Seoul Seongdong Police Station has summoned Kim Soon-hwan, Secretary-General of the CCWW, for an investigation as the complainant on the 5th. 

The controversy surrounding Chung's 1995 assault incident resurfaced recently in the political sphere with the disclosure of old records, including those from the Yangcheon District Council. According to the records at the time and the victim's side's claims, allegations have been raised that the assault incident involving Chung was not related to the May 18th Democratic Uprising, but rather a personal dispute that occurred during a drinking session (commonly referred to as a "drunk assault incident"). 

According to the complaint, "Chung Won-oh (current Seoul mayoral candidate), who was then a secretary to Yang Jae-ho, the head of Yangcheon District Office in Seoul, was involved in an assault and obstruction of public duty incident that occurred at a cafe in Shinjeong 5-dong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, around 11:40 PM on October 11, 1995. The Seoul Southern District Court sentenced him to a 3 million won fine in its ruling on July 10, 1996, under case number 96GoDan336." 

Furthermore, the complaint argues, "It is highly suspected that the defendant, who was a joint offender with Kim Seok-young, the chief of staff to the former head of Yangcheon District Office, Yang Jae-ho, 31 years ago, was held solely responsible during the investigation, raising a reasonable suspicion that they may have "reached an agreement over the chief of staff position." Therefore, it is impossible to rule out the possibility of collusion in the investigation and obstruction of the trial."

Kim Soon-hwan, Secretary-General of the CCWW, emphasized, "The misuse of the historical pain of May 18th as a means to cover up or justify personal, disgraceful criminal records is a clear violation of election law that deceives voters. The truth must be revealed through a swift and thorough investigation by the police." 

Meanwhile, Chung Won-oh's campaign team has stated in response, "According to the court ruling and media reports from that time, the actual cause of the dispute was a difference in political views," and has fully denied the related allegations. 

By Lim Yo-hee