Joon-seok Lee: "'Line-Cutting Controversy' Is Malicious Editing... Vote to Correct the Falsehood"

June 1 Reform New Party On-site Central Election Committee in Incheon

Joon-Seok Lee, General Election Campaign Committee Chair of the Reform New Party, addressed the controversy over his alleged "line-cutting" during early voting on June 1, stating, "Someone maliciously edited a 30-second video, added misleading subtitles, and spread it as a smear campaign." He emphasized, "I urge wise citizens to correct the blemish left by this falsehood with their votes."

At the on-site Central Election Campaign Committee meeting held that day at the election campaign office of Seung-Yeon Jung, candidate for the Incheon Yeonsu-gap by-election, Lee explained, "When I visited a polling station in Dongtan on the first day of early voting, five out of six voting machines were vacant. The only incident was that one voter, confused about the location, asked why I wasn't standing in line."

Joon-Seok Lee, General Election Campaign Committee Chair of the Reform New Party (center in photo), is speaking at the on-site election campaign committee meeting held on the 1st at the election campaign office of Seung-Yeon Jung, candidate for the Incheon Yeonsu-gap by-election. Photo by Yonhap News

He criticized, "Even the broadcasting company that first uploaded the video deleted it immediately after confirming the context. Yet, someone cut out those 30 seconds, added bizarre subtitles, and spread the narrative that 'Joon-Seok Lee is someone who cuts in line.'"

He continued, "A lie spreads in a single sentence, but it takes hundreds of times more effort to correct it. I appeal to citizens who have discerned the truth to come to the polls and express their will, which will more than outweigh such malice."

Lee also addressed the controversy over the strategic nomination of Seung-Yeon Jung, candidate for the Yeonsu-gap by-election. He asserted, "Although Candidate Jung has lived with local residents in Yeonsu for 20 years, ahead of the election, someone unfamiliar with the area was parachuted in under the name of strategic nomination. There was no proper primary held."

He added, "One side drags people down with lies, while the other side undermines principles behind closed doors. The methods may differ, but both unjustly trample on what is right."

Finally, Lee appealed, "The power to rectify this injustice lies in the vote of every Yeonsu resident. Please choose Seung-Yeon Jung for the National Assembly and Ki-Boong Lee for Incheon mayor."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.