Prosecutors Seek 5-Year Sentence for Mastermind of False Sexual Misconduct Plot in Bucheon Mayoral Primary

Prosecutors have sought a five-year prison term for the mastermind behind a plot to frame a rival candidate in a false sexual misconduct case during a party primary. A primary is the competitive process by which a party selects its candidates for public office, and the verdict is seen as a signal that attacks on opponents based on false claims during elections will be met with serious accountability.

Mr. A is accused of offering a woman 1 million won in order to disparage a rival candidate, conditioning the payment on her dropping or refraining from filing a sexual misconduct complaint. The scheme came to light during an intra-party nomination contest: Mr. A, who had been working on a rival candidate's campaign, allegedly chose to tarnish the opposing candidate's reputation.

The false accusation is criticized for damaging not only an individual's reputation but also the integrity of the electoral process itself. The woman who filed the complaint for money will face a separate trial. Police are continuing additional investigations into whether others were involved in the scheme beyond the mastermind.