NEC criticized for 'unfair' corruption probes
By Kim Hyo-jin
The National Election Commission (NEC) is being criticized by opposition parties for using a double standard in handling corruption allegations in the ruling Saenuri Party and the minor opposition People’s Party.
The election watchdog claimed Friday that, in the run-up to the April 13 general election, one of the ruling party’s campaign officials received 39 video clips about candidates for free from a PR company in the “form of a bribe.”
Under a 385 million won ($335,750) contract with the party, the unnamed company produced four TV commercials for the party. However, the firm additionally provided video footage worth 80 million won for free to Cho Dong-won, then the party’s public relations director, the NEC said.
“The NEC distributed a press release about this case at 6:30 p.m. after the deadline of many media outlets while its press release about a similar corruption case involving our party members came out at 9:30 a.m.,” People’s Party floor leader Rep. Park Jie-won said.
“In addition, the NEC refused to investigate the total amount the ruling party spent on campaign ads, which would be much higher than other parties spent. Its calculation of the value of the free video footage is also not appropriate.
“Our party strongly denounces the NEC’s sloppy and lopsided response to Saenuri’s corruption case,” Park said.
The People’s Party raised questions why the NEC did not put the campaign fees under as much scrutiny as it did for the opposition parties, and why it didn’t look into the purpose of the free benefits.
Park said the People’s Party, along with the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea, will call for a meeting of the Assembly’s Security and Public Administration Committee to question NEC officials.
Meanwhile, the Saenuri Party said it will actively cooperate in the prosecution’s investigation of the NEC’s claims, but denied that the free video footage was a form of bribery.
Saenuri’s corruption scandal came as incumbent lawmakers of the People’s Party ― Reps. Park Sun-sook and Kim Su-min ― are facing detention for allegedly receiving kickbacks ahead of the election.