Police catch 1,681 over alleged election law violations

Police said Thursday they have caught 1,681 people and referred 46 of them to the prosecution for alleged irregularities related to the April 10 general elections. Of them, 1,468 people are undergoing investigations on charges of violating the election law, and 167 others were acquitted, according to the National Police Agency. It marks an increase of 24.5 percent, or 331 people, compared with the last general election, when 1,350 people were caught. By type of crime, those accused of spreading false propaganda stood at 39.8 percent of the total, or 669 people, followed by damaging banners and accepting bribery, marking 13.5 percent and 10.2 percent, respectively. The five election offenses specifically targeted by police have accounted for 58.8 percent of the total number of crimes, jumping 17.3 percent compared with the last parliamentary election. This includes bribe-taking, spreading disinformation, election violence, illegally mobilizing groups for electioneering and public officials engaging in ele ction campaigns. Those caught for spreading false information saw the largest leap of 111 percent compared with the last general election. A police officer did not elaborate on whether there were any newly elected lawmakers included among the 46 referred to prosecutors. Source: Yonhap News Agency