Han Vows Legal Action Over Alleged Fake Residency Transfers by Supporters

Direct Rebuttal to Democratic Party’s Allegations of Fake Residency Transfers
Cites Declining Bukgu-gap Population Statistics in Response

Han Donghoon, an independent candidate running in the Busan Bukgu-gap parliamentary by-election, stated on June 2 that he would "hold the Democratic Party fully accountable through legal means for their smear campaign," in response to allegations raised by the Democratic Party regarding illegal electioneering and supporters’ fraudulent address transfers.

Han's camp refuted the accusations by citing monthly population statistics published on the website of the Buk-gu District Office in Busan. At the end of April, the population of the Bukgu-gap area (Gupo 1, 2, 3-dong; Deokcheon 1, 2, 3-dong; and Mandeok 2, 3-dong) stood at 129,229, representing a decrease of 66 people compared to the previous month. By the end of May, the population had dropped by another 101 people from the previous month.

Han Donghoon, an independent candidate running in the Busan Bukgap parliamentary by-election, is campaigning on the afternoon of the 2nd, one day before the election, at the Youth Street in Deokcheon-dong, Buk-gu, Busan. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Han's camp stated, "The population of the Busan Bukgap area declined month-on-month in both April and May," and added, "If, as the Democratic Party claims, there was an 'organized fraudulent address transfer,' how could the population continue to decrease like this?"

The election committee emphasized, "Such actions muddy the waters of the election and insult the voters of Bukgu-gap. Han Donghoon's campaign will hold every individual involved in the Democratic Party’s mudslinging accountable to the fullest extent, with a zero-tolerance policy."

Previously, the Democratic Party's Busan City Election Committee had raised suspicions regarding illegal electioneering and alleged plans for fraudulent address transfers by Han's supporters, urging the police and the Busan Election Commission to conduct a swift investigation.

A representative from the Democratic Party's Busan City Committee criticized, "The act of bringing in large numbers of outsiders to distort public sentiment in the region is a serious crime that infringes upon the sacred voting rights of Busan Buk-gu residents and undermines the very foundation of democracy."

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