Nonghyup chairman's election faces probe

By Lee Hyo-sik

Nonghyup’s newly elected chairman and his supporters are likely to face a prosecution investigation for alleged irregular campaign activities during the Jan. 12 election.

The National Election Commission (NEC) said Monday that it had referred Choi Duk-gyu, one of six candidates allegedly involved in illicit activities while campaigning for new Chairman Kim Byung-won, and unspecified individuals to the prosecution.

The NEC said that before the runoff election, a text message calling for support for Kim was sent to the heads of Nonghyup chapters. The agency said it could not identify who sent the controversial message. In addition, Choi was referred to the prosecution for allegedly illicitly rallying support for Kim after a preliminary vote.

On Jan. 12, Kim emerged victorious from a six-way contest at Nonghyup headquarters in downtown Seoul. After failing to garner a majority vote in a preliminary round, Kim held a run-off against Lee Sung-hee, the former head of a Nonghyup chapter in Pangyo, Gyeonggi Province.

Of the 289 delegates casting ballots, Kim received 163 votes, against Lee’s 126.

Choi, who received 74 votes in the preliminary round, campaigned for Kim before the runoff. But shortly after, NEC employees stopped Choi.

According to the election watchdog, Choi and those who sent the text message could face a two-year prison sentence or a 20 million won fine for violating the Election Law.

Following Kim’s win, Lee’s supporters filed a complaint with the NEC, which then launched a probe. The agency has asked prosecutors to question Choi and uncover who sent the text message to Nonghyup representatives.

With 2.35 million members, Nonghyup, or the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, has 400 trillion won ($333 billion) in assets, operates 31 subsidiaries and employs 8,800 people.