Liberty Korea Party ignores K-League rule, breaks in Gyeongnam stadium

Liberty Korea Party chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn waves to spectators at Changwon Football Center in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, March 30, for a bi-election campaigning run by Rep. Kang Ki-yoon, right. Yonhap

South Korean pro football club Gyeongnam on Monday demanded an apology from the county's main opposition party over improper campaigning inside their home stadium, saying it will need to be held morally and legally responsible if the club receives a punishment.

Gyeongnam released the statement after officials from the conservative Liberty Korea Party, including chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn and by-election candidate Kang Ki-yoon, campaigned inside Changwon Football Center in Changwon, some 400 kilometers south of Seoul, for the April 3 by-elections ahead of the K League 1 match against Daegu FC on Saturday.

"We will try to receive an apology from the LKP for forcing us to face a dishonorable situation," Gyeongnam said. "If we receive a punishment, the LKP election camp that violated the league rules must bear responsibility legally and morally for our fans and people in South Gyeongsang Province."

Any political party's campaigning, wearing party-representing outfits or bearing names of election runners or party emblems, towards spectators at a football stadium is against the rules of Korea Football Association and K League laws. The regulations also prohibit distribution of pamphlets or cards containing political messages to spectators inside a stadium. Yonhap

Under Korea Football Association (KFA) and K League laws, election candidates and party officials can enter the stadium after purchasing a ticket at their own cost. But they cannot wear any clothing displaying a candidate's number and name, as well as party's name and emblem. The rules also prohibit them from distributing any kind of pamphlets or cards containing political messages and showing their slogans and banners.

The violation of such rules can result in a team slapped with a 10-point deduction, playing a home match behind closed doors and a fine of more than 20 million won (US$17,580).

Gyeongnam, last year's K League 1 runners-up, said their staff members were fully aware of the rules on campaigning after receiving notification from the K League, the operator of South Korea's football leagues.

Liberty Korea Party chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn, left, shoves up "v" hand signs to spectators at Changwon Football Center in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, March 30, for a bi-election campaigning run by Rep. Kang Ki-yoon, next to him. Hwang previously put on a red jacket representing the party but changed the outfit after a Gyeongnam FC official told him to stop campaigning at the club's home stadium. Yonhap

"Our security staff told Hwang and Kang's camp members that they cannot enter the stadium with outfits printed with the party's name, the candidate's number and name," the club said. "But some officials shoved their way into the stadium, ignoring ticket inspectors and didn't take off their jackets."

After the LKP camp members and security guards engaged in a quarrel, the Gyeongnam staff told the party officials that such activity is in violation of the rules, but they ignored them and campaigned inside the stadium.

The K League said it will hold a meeting later Monday to decide whether this case should be reviewed by its discipline committee. (Yonhap)