[Exclusive] Pro-Myung Hwang Myungsun Suspected of Systematically Managing Support Records for Kim Minseok

Regional Aide Requests Local Assembly Members to Submit Call and Text Logs

Possible Violations of By-Laws on Supreme Council Electioneering Restrictions and Use of Personal Data

Yonhap News Agency

Hwang Myung-sun, classified as a member of the pro-Myung faction, is under suspicion for violating the Democratic Party by-laws by engaging in electioneering activities such as managing a support status table for a specific candidate ahead of the Democratic Party’s August 17 party leader election.

According to an investigation compiled by The Asia Business Daily on July 28, an aide belonging to Assemblyman Hwang's regional committee (Nonsan, Gyeryong, and Geumsan in South Chungcheong Province) asked some local assembly members on July 27 to submit an Excel file titled "Status Table of Support and Phone Campaigns for Kim Minseok’s Party Leader Candidacy."

It was confirmed that the compilation table included the names of regional and basic local assembly members in Hwang’s district, as well as sections for logging the call and text message activities related to candidate Kim Minseok and candidate Jeong Cheongrae.

Additionally, there were charts for entering the total number of calls and text messages per assembly member, along with breakdowns of support calls and texts for each candidate.

Status Report of Text Messages and Phone Calls Supporting Minseok Kim, Candidate for Party Leader, Sent by Hwang Myung-sun's Regional Committee to Local Assembly Members

This has led to allegations that Hwang’s side may have been managing records of local assembly members’ campaigning performance for a specific candidate, or may have conducted organized electioneering.

Under Article 33, Paragraph 4 of the Democratic Party regulations, Supreme Council members are restricted from engaging in party leader election campaigns, raising controversy over whether this request to compile and submit the table violates the intent of the by-law.

Some point out that if Assemblyman Hwang, in his capacity as a regional committee chair, systematically used party membership information to support a specific candidate, it could constitute illegal internal electioneering using personal data.

In a phone call with The Asia Business Daily, a Democratic Party official stated, "As a Supreme Council member, Assemblyman Hwang is not allowed to engage in party leader electioneering under Article 33 of the by-laws. Having a regional aide request that local assembly members submit election activity tables could be a potential violation of the regulations."

The Asia Business Daily attempted to contact Assemblyman Hwang via phone and text message to hear his position, but did not receive a response.

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