Fines in their 20s for joining and campaigning despite deprivation of voting rights

A man in his 20s, who was deprived of his right to vote after being fined for violating the Public Official Election Act during the 2022 local elections, was fined again after he was found to have joined a specific party and campaigned in the general election in April this year.

Wonju Branch of the Chuncheon District Court sentenced 23-year-old A, who was charged with violating the Public Official Election Act and the Political Parties Act, to a fine of 3 million won and 300,000 won, respectively.

Mr. A was put on trial on charges of acting as a candidate for the People's Power in Wonju City ahead of the 22nd National Assembly election in March, even though he could not campaign while being deprived of his right to vote for five years due to violation of the election law.

In addition, the complaint included charges of violating the party law by joining the People's Power Gangwon-do Party from January 26 to April 26, even though those who do not have the right to vote cannot become members of the party.

Earlier, A was indicted on charges of promulgating false information by distributing a press release saying that corruption in the other candidate's public office was reported again while serving as the head of Won Kang-soo's election camp during the June 1 2022 local elections, and was deprived of his right to vote for five years along with a fine of 5 million won.

Since then, A was found to have violated the election law in the process of confirming that his name was not on the electoral list while visiting the early voting center for the general election in April, and was charged with violating the election law again.

Mr. A did not know that he was deprived of his right to vote during the trial and claimed that he did not intend to do so, but the court did not accept it.