The National Election Commission, due to a rising concern about an excessive competition and electoral law violations in the lead up to the April 27 by-elections, gave a special instruction to dispatch more personnel in charge of law-enforcement in the 38 electoral districts.

In particular, the NEC will conduct a survey in the 10 electoral districts where the elections for National Assembly members and the head of local government take place to find out the degree of excessive competition and electoral law violations. The findings of the survey will be made public via the media to give a warning against such inclinations, and assign more members of special investigative team in the concerned districts.

The NEC will carry out intensive law-enforcement activities on serious election crimes with a potential to affect elections results, including: libel and malicious propaganda against competing candidates or parties; distribution of goods, petty cashes, and feast to residents of electoral districts; provision of allowance and compensation to volunteers; establishment and operation of private organisations; and unlawful campaign by manipulating survey results.

The NEC said that 190 staff members, 800 members of Election Surveillance Unit, and 28 special investigative teams comprised of the best law-enforcement members have been carrying out supervising and law-enforcing activities in the electoral districts. As of April 10, the NEC has taken actions on forty-three cases: It has filed charges against nine cases to the prosecution, brought two cases to the prosecuting authority for further investigation, and issued warnings to thirty-two cases.

The NEC said that citizens who report electoral law violations will be rewarded up to 500 million KRW, adding that their personal identity will be protected. It called upon anyone who witnesses such illegal activities to report to the NEC through a nationwide toll free number 1390.