= Action taken nationwide including 48 charges, four requests for investigation by the prosecution and 558 warnings =

The National Election Commission (NEC) of the Republic of Korea announced it has investigated and taken action in 610 incidents related to election campaign spending by political parties and candidates participating in the 7th nationwide simultaneous local elections including issuing 48 charges, four requests for investigation by the prosecution and 558 warnings.

The number of charges and requests for investigation by the prosecution were similar to the 6th local elections (48 charges, 6 requests for investigation by the prosecution).

When looking at the number of incidents by the level of election, there were 32 incidents in mayoral and gubernatorial elections, 100 in elections for heads of local governments, 125 in elections for Si/Do council members, 301 in elections for Gu/Si/Gun council members and 52 in elections for superintendents of education.

When looking at the number of incidents by political party, 183 cases involved the Minjoo Party of Korea, 151 involved the Liberty Korea Party, 76 involved the Bareunmirae Party, 20 involved the Party for Democracy and Peace, four involved the Justice Party and eight involved other political parties and independent candidates, combining for a total of 168 cases. 

The main violations included: 

• Spending more than the campaign spending limit. 

• Providing compensation to volunteers. 

• Making payments exceeding the limit of actual expense to election campaign staff 

• Receiving or distributing campaign funds not through the reported bank account

• False accounting reports

The NEC also announced the results of investigations in political funds outside the campaign expenses made by political parties and candidates during the 7th local elections including the 2017 annual accounting reports submitted by political parties and the Political Fund Associations for National Assembly members. There was a total of 280 actions including six charges, three four requests for investigation by the prosecution and 271 warnings.

In addition, a total of 8,336,000 Korean won ($7,500 USD) in subsidies will be reduced, twice the amount of each violation, to political party A (621,000 Korean won, or $550 USD) and political party B (35,470,000 Korean won, or $3,200 USD), who did not implement the government subsidy for the purposes set out by law. 

The NEC said that it will continue to strengthen anti-criminal activities involving political funds in order to establish an advanced political culture, and will also do its best to improve the system by strengthening transparency in political funds and by ensuring the smooth procurement of political funds. 

People that report crimes related to political funds can receive up to 500 million won ($450,000 USD) and their information will be strictly protected according to the law.​