Jang Dong-hyuk: "Freedom to Shout 'Fraudulent Election'... Must Not Be Framed as Conspiracy Theory"

Public Rebuttal to Junior Lawmakers' Criticism of "Conspiracy Theory Contamination"

Jang Dong-hyuk, Leader of the People Power Party, stated on June 12 that “Young people who are shouting ‘fraudulent election’ should not be labeled as conspiracy theorists,” and argued that how to define the ballot paper shortage incident should be left to the freedom of citizens.

Through social media on the same day, Leader Jang said, “Whatever you call the ‘ballot paper shortage incident,’ the core issue is the deprivation of voting rights. Right now, young people and citizens are fighting for South Korea’s liberal democracy, while the others are busy quibbling over terminology.”

Jang Dong-hyuk, Leader of the People Power Party. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

This is interpreted as a rebuttal to criticism from the ‘Alternatives and Future’ group, a gathering of junior lawmakers within the People Power Party, which had criticized Leader Jang’s participation in a ‘fraudulent election’ protest the previous day. Previously, the Alternatives and Future group had stated at a press conference, “Contaminating citizens’ demands by labeling them as fraudulent election conspiracy theories is something a leader of a conservative party must never do.”

He further criticized, “If you call it a ‘fraudulent election,’ you are disparaged as far-right, and if you claim it was a ‘fraudulent election,’ you are labeled a conspiracy theorist. This is an attempt to undermine the voluntary resistance of citizens by dismissing it as far-right and thereby weaken or obstruct the momentum of protest.”

He added, “If you want to call it an ‘incompetent election,’ then you are free to do so. Whatever you choose to call it, that, too, is freedom.” However, he insisted, “Pure-hearted young people who are shouting ‘fraudulent election’ must not be trapped within a conspiracy theory framework.”

He went on to say, “Just as anyone is free to enjoy Starbucks, anyone is free to shout ‘fraudulent election.’ That is the liberal democracy young people are striving to protect.”

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