The Democratic Party of Korea said on the 13th it will file a complaint against People Power Party lawmaker Kim Jae-seop for the crime of "announcing false information for the purpose of defeating an opponent."
Chong Won-o's Democratic Party of Korea Seoul mayoral campaign said, "Lawmaker Kim Jae-seop presented information that is clearly false," and noted it will file a complaint for announcing false information under the Public Official Election Act.
The candidate's side said, "Kim presented the 'Yangcheon District Council transcript' as if it were material containing objective facts, but a transcript is a document that records the remarks of meeting participants as they are; it is not an investigative agency's 'protocol,'" adding, "Kim's claim merely repeats remarks that a Yangcheon District Council member surnamed Jang unilaterally asserted in the council without any basis nine days after the incident at the time."
The Democratic Party said, "(Kim) presented a one-sided claim as if it were objective evidence and did not verify any other grounds."
Earlier, Kim held a press conference at the National Assembly press room and argued that Chong's explanation of an assault case 31 years ago was a "false explanation." Kim said, "In fact, a dispute arose over an overnight stay involving a waitress," and released the 1995 Yangcheon District Council transcript.
In response, the campaign additionally released five news reports from the time and said, "At the time, the Yangcheon District Office chief's secretary and candidate Chong Won-o (then the district chief's secretary) were having a private conversation early in the term when opposition figures who suggested joining their table began talking about the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement."
It explained, "The debate, which began with differences in views on history, escalated into a heated argument, and in the process a physical altercation occurred."
It also presented the campaign brochure from the time as evidence regarding Kim's side claiming that "the district council member who raised the issue then was an independent," and argued, "In effect, the person was affiliated with the Democratic Liberal Party."
Chong's side said, "Oh Se-hoon's campaign co-chair Kim Jae-seop is continuing negative attacks with false information," adding, "We will take strong action against clearly false information."