By Kim Rahn
The Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission has asked the prosecution to investigate seven tweeters for alleged illegal campaigning leading up to the Seoul mayoral by-election.
They are accused of having libeled candidates and spread false rumors.
It is the first time for the commission to have referred tweeters to the prosecution since the campaign period started on Oct. 13. The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office earlier pledged a stern crackdown on illegal electioneering using social network services (SNS).
“During last year’s election to select local authority heads, we only issued warnings to two citizens for their online violation of the Election Law. But now we are seeking a prosecutors’ investigation because SNS has developed rapidly since then and the defamation of candidates with such online tools is getting more serious,” a commission official said.
Tweets which the commission regards as libeling include: “Corruption surrounding private schools, Japanese collaborator” in reference to Grand National Party candidate Na Kyung-won, and “Red leftist, populism” connected to unified opposition candidate Park Won-soon.
Other tweets that allegedly spread false rumors had phrases such as “the school career fabrication is too serious and the candidate will be deprived of the mayoral post in the future,” and “the candidate evaded tax.” The commission didn’t disclose the names of the candidates mentioned in the tweets.
Another tweeter who allegedly opened a Twitter account similar to Na’s and posted tweets by using her photos and name, is now being investigated for identity theft.
Besides the tweeters, the commission also sought an investigation into 13 Internet users on similar suspicions.
The commission also came up with criteria on citizens’ taking photos of their casting ballots and uploading them online. The criteria come as many people especially celebrities have done so in recent polls to encourage others to vote. There has been controversy over whether or not it is against the law guaranteeing a secret ballot.
According to the standards, taking a photo of the ballot paper is banned — whether or not the person has filled in the ballot paper, and regardless of whether the photographer makes it public or not.
Voters’ taking photos of themselves inside the polling station will also be prohibited.
Instead, voters are allowed to take photos of themselves outside of the stations to show they’ve participated in the vote.
“Posting such photos online is permitted, but posting them along with comments like ‘I voted for a specific candidate’ is not. Even photos taken in front of a poster will be banned from being uploaded, as we presume they are supporting that candidate,” the official said.
For ordinary citizens, it is within the law to encourage people to cast their ballots on the day of the vote by saying, “Let’s vote.”
But it’s different for other figures if the public is aware of who the person will vote for.
“Such vote-encouraging messages are banned for people or organizations who is directly linked to specific candidates — for example, software entrepreneur Ahn Cheol-soo who openly supported Park,” he said.