Election Commission's criteria for banner statement restrictions questioned

[Anchor]

This incident occurred in downtown Busan.

After the martial law turmoil, a banner criticizing a ruling party lawmaker was put up, to which the lawmaker's side attempted to post another banner in response.

However, the Election Commission intervened.

Now there is controversy over why some statements are allowed while others are not.

Sohn Seo-young reports.

[Report]

This is a banner displayed in downtown Busan.

It criticizes local lawmaker Jeong Yeon-wook of the People Power Party, calling him a "co-conspirator of rebellion."

In response, Jeong's side attempted to post a banner stating "Still, not Lee Jae-myung," but the Election Commission intervened.

The reason was that, with the possibility of an early presidential election arising from the National Assembly's impeachment vote, this act could be considered pre-election campaigning aimed at disqualifying a specific potential candidate.

[Central Election Commission official: "Simple political slogans like 'co-conspirator of rebellion' or 'arrest him' cannot be considered election campaigning, so they are not restricted. However, banners opposing a candidate expected to run in the presidential election may be considered election campaigning, which both ruling and opposition parties are equally restricted on."]

Jeong's side strongly refuted.

He argued that the Election Commission's mention of the possibility of an early presidential election based on the Constitutional Court's impeachment ruling violates its duty of neutrality.

[Jeong Yeon-wook/People Power Party lawmaker: "An interpretation of the law based on a hypothetical situation that has not yet occurred is illogical."]

There has been controversy in the past regarding the Election Commission's criteria for allowing banner phrases.

In the 2021 by-election, the People Power Party produced a banner containing the phrase "double standards," but it was not allowed because it was deemed to evoke the Democratic Party, leading to disputes over the criteria.

KBS News, Son Seo-young.