Facebook promotional material capture

Kim Jang-ho, a candidate for Gumi Mayor, said, "Tourism expert also recognized by CNN in the United States." There is no name in the actual article

Candidate No. 2 of the People's Power Symbol mentioned CNN articles in SNS promotional materials... There is no mention of candidate Kim Jang-ho in the original article. Controversy over whether the Public Official Election Act applies to the crime of publicizing false information

[Korea Distribution Newspaper = Reporter Kim Do-hyung] It has been confirmed that Kim Jang-ho, the No. 2 candidate for the election of Gumi Mayor, used the phrase "tourism resource development expert recognized by CNN" in his campaign promotional materials posted on social media. However, the name of Kim Jang-ho or the expression "tourism resource development expert" does not appear anywhere in the original text of the CNN article, which is believed to have been based on the promotional materials.

The post was made public through a supporter's account, and it is a form in which a promotional phrase in bold is placed on a photo of a Gumi cityscape along with the logo of the People's Power. By highlighting the CNN logo, it has been edited to give the impression that the international media has recognized the candidate's expertise in tourism.

However, the original CNN report confirmed by this paper was published on May 12, 2026, and the title is "Robots and Ramyeon: Inside South Korea's Largest Instant Noodle Factory." This article introduces the Nongshim factory and the Gumi Ramen Festival located in Gumi City, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and has nothing to do with local tourism resource development or candidate Kim Jang-ho.

Jung Tae-Kim, a high-ranking official at Gumi City Hall who planned the ramen festival, is the only person mentioned in the CNN article. The article deals with the fact that Gumi City started the ramen festival to break away from its image as a "boring industrial city" and leap forward as a tourist attraction, and it has nothing to do with the candidate's personal career and achievement.

In response, some citizens expressed their intention to file a complaint with the Election Commission, saying that it could be a violation of Article 250 (1) of the Public Official Election Act—that is, the crime of publicizing false information. The provisions stipulate that false facts about the candidate's career and behavior for the purpose of election will be sentenced to up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won.

relevant laws and regulations

Article 250 (1) of the Public Official Election Act — A person who publishes false facts regarding the place of birth, status, occupation, career, behavior, etc. of a candidate in favor of a candidate by means of speech, broadcasting, newspapers, communications, magazines, wallpapers, propaganda documents, etc. for the purpose of being elected or elected shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than five years or a fine of not more than 30 million won. Newspaper

Some in the legal community say that the expression "CNN recognized" is a relatively easy matter to prove falsehood because it falls under a claim of specific facts that can be verified with evidence beyond mere exaggeration or expression of opinion. The Supreme Court also believes that false facts about the candidate's career can affect the judgment of the elector, which can lead to a crime of publicizing false facts.

This newspaper sent a request for fact-finding to CNN's official Asia-Pacific public relations team. It also asked Kim Jang-ho about the reason and position of the promotional materials, and will reflect them in the article as soon as the answers are received.

<저작권자(c)한국유통신문. 무단전재-재배포 금지> 

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