ED Candidate's faked 'political terrorism'

Reform Party leader Lee Jun-seok, left, and Jeong I-han, the party's candidate for the Busan mayoral election, meet residents in the southeastern city's Buk District, April 29. Yonhap

The two-party system that has dominated Korean politics for decades is largely responsible for the country's political polarization.

Politicians have frequently resorted to divisive tactics and strategies to consolidate their support bases and expand their influence. In such a fractured political environment, the role of minor parties is essential. Depending on their performance, they can help ease partisan conflicts and reduce confrontations between the ruling and main opposition parties, transforming political competition into outcomes that benefit the broader community.

In this sense, the recent scandal involving the Reform Party is particularly regrettable. The police are investigating Jeong I-han, who ran in the Busan mayoral election on the Reform Party’s ticket, over manufactured attack allegations. On April 27, during the campaign period for the June 3 local elections, Jeong issued a press release claiming that he had been the target of political violence.

According to Jeong, while he was campaigning in Busan’s Geumjeong District, a driver in a passing vehicle threw coffee at him while expressing anger that he was too young and inexperienced to be mayor. Jeong claimed that he slipped into the street while trying to avoid the attack and lost consciousness. He was later diagnosed with a concussion and a muscle sprain. The incident drew widespread criticism, with some members of the public characterizing it as an act of "political terrorism." The police launched an investigation, identified the alleged attacker and questioned him.

The Reform Party candidate reportedly met the attacker in person and told police that he did not want the individual to be punished. Jeong returned to campaigning just two days after the incident, wearing a neck brace and carrying on as though nothing had happened. The episode helped draw public attention to a candidate who had previously struggled to gain visibility among Busan voters.

In March, Jeong’s support among Busan mayoral candidates stood at a mere 0.7 percent in a public opinion survey released by KNN. Following the incident, however, his support rose to 2 percent in a survey released by MBC in May. In the June 3 elections, the Reform Party candidate ultimately received 27,418 votes, accounting for 1.56 percent of all ballots cast.

After the election, Jeong’s story took a dramatic turn. He is now accused of orchestrating the attack himself. According to police, he was not the victim of political violence but instead arranged for someone to assault him in order to attract public attention.

The police plan to charge him with obstruction of official duties by fraudulent means and violation of the Public Official Election Act.

Following media reports on the allegations, Jeong withdrew from the Reform Party. Rep. Lee Jun-seok, the party’s leader, issued a public apology, stating that the party bears responsibility for the incident because Jeong had been one of its official candidates.

The incident has dealt a significant blow to the party.

Compared with major parties, such as the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), the Reform Party is small and has limited financial and human resources. Despite these constraints, it secured three seats in the 2024 National Assembly elections because many voters believed in the values it advocated.

But the scandal involving its Busan mayoral candidate is more than a case of individual misconduct. It exposes serious flaws in the party’s candidate selection process. How was such a person chosen to represent the Reform Party in such an important election? Was the selection process fair and transparent?

For minor parties, ethical integrity is a critical asset. This becomes clear when considering the nature of their supporters. Why would voters choose a small and relatively invisible party like the Reform Party, which lacks the legislative strength to advance its agenda independently in the National Assembly? The answer lies in the values of those voters. They care about political diversity and individual principles. They support minor parties because they find it difficult to identify with large parties such as the DPK and the PPP, which often promise everything to everyone in pursuit of electoral victory.

These voters care about the political process as much as the outcomes. They believe in procedural democracy. The recent scandal is a betrayal of them.