On May 29, the Democratic Party issued a warning to the opposition amid ongoing controversies surrounding the local elections, specifically addressing allegations of deepfake video production and distribution linked to Park Wan-soo, the People Power Party's candidate for Gyeongnam governor, and accusations of online comment manipulation involving Oh Se-hoon, the party's candidate for Seoul mayor. The party asserted that these issues would lead to serious consequences for the opposition.
Kang Jun-hyun, the party's spokesperson, spoke to reporters at the National Assembly, emphasizing the importance of active voter participation on the first day of early voting. "We urge the public to exercise their valuable right to vote," he said, noting that problems related to the People Power Party candidates continue to emerge.
Kang highlighted reports from May 28 that raised concerns about illegal AI deepfake election videos being created and distributed by Park's campaign, as well as indications of election interference by Gyeongnam provincial officials. He stated, "If true, this constitutes a serious violation of the Public Official Election Act and is one of the most severe election crimes."
He further remarked, "This is also an instance of administrative power being mobilized for electoral purposes. Elections are a stage for the people's choice, not a mud fight where one can win through crime and rule-breaking."
Regarding the recent controversy surrounding Oh's alleged comment manipulation, Kang noted, "There are reports that malicious posts were created and systematically disseminated with the intent of causing the defeat of candidate Jeong Won-ho. A representative from Oh's camp even mentioned that they had previously changed the game during the 2021 by-elections through a comment campaign."
Kang criticized the People Power Party, questioning whether they take pride in manipulating public opinion. He recalled the remnants of similar tactics from the Lee Myung-bak administration, warning that the unethical approach of prioritizing electoral victory over political integrity would now face severe scrutiny.
Additionally, Kang pointed to recent polling data indicating that Lee Won-taek is leading Kim Kwan-young in the race for the Gyeongbuk governor position, suggesting that public sentiment in the region is rallying behind the Democratic Party.
He concluded by stating, "What Kim should do now is not to dream of an unrealistic return to the party but to show integrity by apologizing to party members and resigning. I urge the voters of Jeonbuk, who support President Lee Jae-myung, to choose him."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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