"Text Messages Sent Before Candidate Registration": Mapo District Mayor Yoo Donggyun Fined 900,000 Won

Avoids Having His Election Invalidated

Yoo Donggyun, Mapo District mayor, was fined 900,000 won after being indicted on charges of sending mass text messages expressing his intention to run for office before registering as a preliminary candidate in a local election.

Last August, Mapo District Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun attended a review meeting on the fulfillment of pledges for the ninth popularly elected administration, held in the main conference room of Mapo District Office. Yonhap News Agency

The 11th Criminal Division of the Seoul Western District Court, presided over by Judge Yoon Woong-ki, said on October 25 that it had fined Yoo 900,000 won on August 28 for violating the Public Official Election Act. The ruling became final without an appeal.

Yoo was indicted on charges of using his mobile phone to send group text messages 22 times to 2,022 phone numbers between 2:19 p.m. and 3:05 p.m. on April 9 last year, before registering as a preliminary candidate.

The Public Official Election Act stipulates that anyone who is not a candidate or preliminary candidate may not send group text messages to more than 20 people outside the campaign period or campaign using an automated text message transmission program.

With this ruling, Yoo avoided having his election invalidated. An election is invalidated if a person is sentenced to imprisonment or a fine of 1 million won or more for violating the Public Official Election Act.

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