South Korean National Election Commission (NEC) ruled Thursday that President Roh Moo-hyun's recent criticism of presidential contenders from the main opposition party violated election laws.
 | | Members of the National Election Commission convene an all-member session yesterday to deliberate President Roh Moo-hyun's criticism of two presidential hopefuls of the Grand National Party yesterday. (Photo: The Korea Herald) | "There are some parts (of Roh's remarks) that violated the laws," said Kim Hyeon-moo, a commissioner with the election watchdog.
The election watchdog dismissed the more serious accusations filed by the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP), saying Roh's remarks were not a case of pre-electioneering, and that the group of his supporters he addressed was not a private organization for campaigning.
"It's difficult to see this case as pre-electioneering, but the commission makes it clear that the remarks violated his duty to keep neutrality as president, and has decided to send an official letter asking him to maintain neutrality and refrain from causing similar controversy in the future," said NEC spokesman Yang Keum-suk.
Roh said in a speech to his supporters last Saturday that it's "horrible to think of what would happen" if the Grand National Party (GNP) wins the presidential election.
He also said it would be "embarrassing" to see foreign media reports saying "the South Korean leader is the daughter of a dictator" during the speech.
Park Geun-hye, a major GNP contender and daughter of former President Park Chung-hee, who ruled the country with an iron fist in the 1960s and 1970s, expressed her angry at Roh's remarks.
Roh said GNP's another presidential election runner Lee Myung-bak's suggestion of building an inland canal is "an empty pledge without a strategy."
Following NEC's ruling, Roh's office said the ruling against the president's political remarks was "regrettable and hard to accept."
"The president's freedom to make political expressions, as well as his political activities, should be guaranteed," Cheong Wa Dae said in a statement.
"In advanced countries, it is a universal principle to guarantee the head of state freedom of political activities. The NEC's verdict that the president violated the election law is regrettable and hard to accept," the statement said.
The presidential office warned that it will consider taking legal action against the NEC's ruling. Cheong Wa Dae had already warned Tuesday that it will file a complaint with the Constitutional Court if the NEC delivers a verdict unfavorable to the president.
Xinhua/AsiaNews.Net | 
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