The National Police Agency said Friday it is currently investigating 1,267 people suspected of violating the elections law, including 43 lawmakers-elect.

Police said it has conducted a crackdown on 1,606 people suspected of illegally campaigning for the April 13 general election. So far, 11 have been arrested and 65 handed over to the prosecution without arrest. Police has completed the probe on another 263 by clearing their charges.

Initially, those facing investigation had included 118 candidates, 201 preliminary candidates, 17 spouses and five relatives of the candidates. It also included 88 campaign officials and 77 party members.

Among the candidates, 20 have been cleared of charges, with 98, including 43 who have won the election, remaining under probe. 

They are mostly suspected of providing monetary gifts and other unauthorized methods of campaigning, spreading false information and violating the official campaigning period.

The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office said separately on Thursday it was looking into over 100 cases of possible election violations by lawmakers-elect. The number includes those investigated by the police.

Police said the method of election violations are shifting from bribery to spreading lies, largely due to the wider use of the Internet in campaigning.
Police and prosecutors vowed tough crackdown on all election law violations until the statute of limitations expires in October.

Under the law, the election result of a lawmaker-elect who receives a fine of more than 1 million won ($863) will be invalidated.

After the 2012 general election, 30 lawmakers-elect were indicted until the statute of limitations expired, 10 of whom had their election canceled. 

(khnews@heraldcorp.com)