People Power Party Reps. Jang Dong-hyeok (second from left), and Jung Hee Yong (left) are seen Saturday as they were submitting a complaint with police against President Lee Jae Myung for violating the Public Official Election Act. (Yonhap) The main opposition People Power Party is keeping the pressure on President Lee Jae Myung and the ruling bloc, slamming the president for showing his marked ballot paper in public.The main opposition party claimed that Lee had intentionally “waved” the marked ballot in front of the media when he appeared at a polling station Friday during the early voting period to cast his vote with his wife, Kim Hea Kyung.People Power Party chair Jang Dong-hyeok said at a press conference that Lee was engaging in “illegal campaigning by urging people to vote for the candidate he picked.”“No president in history has ever committed such a reckless act,” Jang said. “Had Lee been a right-wing president, the Democratic Party would have immediately come up with a motion to impeach the president.”Jang’s remarks followed legal action taken by People Power Party lawmakers against Lee on Saturday over an alleged breach of the Public Official Election Act. Jang and four other People Power Party lawmakers filed complaints with police, accusing Lee and the election official of failing to ensure voting secrecy.Under South Korean law, eligible voters cannot make a marked ballot paper public and any disclosed ballot papers must be nullified.On Friday, Lee visited a polling station near Cheong Wa Dae in Jongno-gu, Seoul. He walked out of the polling booth holding an unfolded ballot paper with a stamp in his left hand and asked an election official whether a ballot paper that had been imperfectly stamped could still be deemed valid.When the official told Lee not to show his marked ballot paper, Lee said, “It does not matter.”After the official said that the vote would be valid, Lee returned to the polling booth and continued voting.Later Friday, the National Election Commission said Lee’s act of bringing a marked ballot paper outside the booth was not problematic.Rep. Jung Hee-yong of the People Power Party said Saturday that the National Election Commission had been too complacent in interpreting Lee’s alleged law violation.Democratic Party senior spokesperson Rep. Kang Jun-hyeon said Sunday that Lee had only checked on the condition of the ballot stamp. He said the People Power Party had stuck to a “baseless offensive” by accusing Lee of intervening in the election, despite the National Election Commission’s statement that there were no legal issues regarding Lee’s actions.Meanwhile, Jang said Sunday that the latest controversy over Lee’s appearance at a polling station was part of Lee’s disregard of his duty to remain neutral, along with his recent appearances at traditional markets.
Opposition slams president for showing stamped ballot paper to public
The main opposition People Power Party is keeping the pressure on President Lee Jae Myung and the ruling bloc, slamming the president for showing his marked bal











