Legal Dispute Brewing Regarding Rejection Campaign

After a list of politicians considered unqualified for candidacy was released by the Civil Action for the 2004 General Elections, other civic groups and farmers’ groups are also expected to follow suit and a legal dispute is now rekindling.

Furthermore, considering special events—such as “voters’ ground, performance, and cultural events”—are currently prepared by local civic groups, it is highly likely to question its legality especially according to the contents of these events.

In fact, Civil Action for the 2004 General Elections encouraged voters to participate in a Rejection Campaign by releasing the list on its homepage yesterday and publicized how to legally carry out the campaign by using such electronic methods as “E-mail wave for their rejection list,” “Attaching banner for the rejection list,” “Using messenger icon of the rejection,” and “Delivering the rejection list in the Internet bulletin board.”

In particular, the Civil Action in the Gwangju and Jeonnam areas is slated to open voters’ groups, targeting hikers in Mt. Mudeung this coming weekend, and also has a bus tour aimed to facilitate the Rejection Campaign in the Jeonnam and Gwangju areas starting from today.

Moreover, the Civil Action in the Gyeonggi and Chungbuk areas decided to highlight the most unqualified candidates by additionally uploading their list in civic groups’ homepages and online bulletin boards.

Farmers’ association in Jeongeup, Jeonbuk, under the network of Korean Peasant League, has decided yesterday to launch the Rejection Campaign against a candidate who voted for the Free Trade Agreement with Chile, which is spurring a clash between farmers’ groups and the candidate.

Meanwhile, “Civil Action for Mulgari in 2004 General Election” announced a list of must-be-elected candidates—36 in the Uri Party, 12 in Democratic Labor Party, three in the Millennium Democratic Party, two in the Grand National Party, and one independent at a news conferences on the same day.

Regarding civic groups’ rejection campaign, the election commission confirmed its position that holding street rallies, distributing pamphlets, holding signature campaigns, using street banners, and conducting opening speeches of candidates are subjected to legal punishment. Thirty-three illegal cases committed by civic groups were brought before the election commission at the last 16th general election.

Young-Chan Yoon Min-Hyuk Park yyc11@donga.com mhpark@donga.com