Gyeongnam Police Refer 85 to Prosecutors for Election Offenses, Mostly Banner Vandalism

The Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency announced on December 9th that it had referred 85 individuals to the prosecution for election offenses related to the 21st Presidential Election held on June 3rd, with vandalism of banners and posters accounting for the largest proportion. According to the Gyeongnam Police, investigations were conducted on a total of 223 cases involving 237 individuals, and 85 individuals involved in 81 of these cases were referred to the prosecution. The statute of limitations for these cases expires on December 3, 2025. An analysis of the types of offenses revealed that vandalism of banners and posters accounted for the highest proportion at 70.9% with 168 individuals involved. This suggests that a significant number of basic order-disrupting acts occur during the election process. Other types of offenses included spreading false information, which involved 22 individuals (9.3%), and election violence, which involved 7 individuals (2.9%). Offering money and distributing illegal printed materials each accounted for 3 individuals (1.3%).

An official from the Gyeongnam Police stated, "Although the majority of offenses involved minor crimes that disrupt basic election order, acts that undermine the election atmosphere occurred extensively." The number of election offenders related to the 21st Presidential Election has increased compared to past presidential elections. It has increased by 114 compared to the 20th Presidential Election and by 116 compared to the 19th Presidential Election. In particular, banner and poster vandalism has increased approximately 2.7 times compared to the 20th Presidential Election. This shows that physical damage during the election process has intensified. The police announced that they plan to strengthen monitoring and crackdowns on illegal activities to establish election order. The Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency emphasized that it will strictly deal with acts that undermine election fairness and strive to establish a clean and transparent election culture.