The Democratic United Party filed a complaint against three Saenuri Party officials over claims that former President Roh Moo-hyun dismissed the legitimacy of the northern limit line in the West Sea.

Calling the claims false and a ploy to damage the presidential campaign of candidate Rep. Moon Jae-in, Roh’s former chief of staff, the DUP lodged the complaint against Saenuri Party Reps. Chung Moon-hun, Lee Cheol-woo and party public relations officer Park Seon-kyu.

Under the Public Official Election Act, those found guilty of spreading false information about a candidate or relatives of a candidate to prevent the concerned individual from being elected can be imprisoned for up to seven years or can be fined up to 30 million won ($27,000).

The dispute between the country’s two largest political parties began on Oct. 8 when Chung claimed that Roh and late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il held an undisclosed meeting at the 2007 summit, during which Roh dismissed the NLL as being an arbitrary line drawn by the U.S. on its own accord.

While Chung claimed that official records of the meeting exist, his claims have since been categorically dismissed by Roh administration officials who accompanied the former president on the summit.

By Choi He-suk  (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)