Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate, is facing controversy in political circles regarding the 'Gyeonggi Siheung Turtle Island Wave Park' project that was promoted in collaboration with Siheung City during his tenure as governor of Gyeonggi Province.
During a campaign rally, the candidate explained the process of attracting the Turtle Island Wave Park project, at which point Lee Jun-seok, the Reform Party candidate, pointed out that it was 'talking nonsense that is unaware of reality,' prompting the Democratic Party to announce that they would file a complaint for violation of the Public Official Election Act.
◇Democratic Party files complaint for 'violation of the Public Official Election Act' against Lee Jun-seok, Ju Jin-woo, Na Kyung-won, and others
On the 25th, the Democratic Party's Election Countermeasure Committee's Fair Election Legal Support Group and Fake News Response Team announced they would file a complaint against Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party, along with lawmakers Ju Jin-woo, Park Seong-hoon, and Na Kyung-won, for disseminating false facts for the purpose of election loss under the Public Official Election Act.
The Democratic Party asserted, 'These individuals have maliciously manipulated remarks made by candidate Lee Jae-myung during his campaign, publicly stating false information that he bragged about the Turtle Island project as his own achievement.'
They continued, 'Candidate Lee Jae-myung has never bragged about the Turtle Island project as his achievement during his campaign. He mentioned that he attracted the Wave Park to break the situation where there are no tourism incentives on Turtle Island.'
The Democratic Party pointed out, 'These individuals published false information without properly confirming even the basic facts as candidates for public office or lawmakers, which is an act of disseminating false information with the intent to prevent candidate Lee Jae-myung from being elected.'
In particular, the Democratic Party noted, 'Candidate Lee Jun-seok subtly modified his false Facebook post that stated, to while failing to clearly clarify that he had disseminated false information, and the initial false information has already been uncontrollably spread through media reports.'
They added, 'All these actions constitute the crime of disseminating false information for the purpose of election loss, in violation of Article 250, Section 2 of the Public Official Election Act,' while urging a thorough and swift investigation into the illegal acts of Lee Jun-seok, Ju Jin-woo, Park Seong-hoon, and Na Kyung-won, which undermine democracy and fair elections.
◇What did Lee Jae-myung say during his campaign in Siheung?
On the afternoon of the 24th at 4:40 p.m., candidate Lee Jae-myung made a mention regarding Turtle Island during a campaign event in Siheung City, Gyeonggi Province. The Democratic Party's public relations department has faithfully transcribed his remarks at the event.
There is Turtle Island in Siheung, right? I wonder how businesses are doing at the Wave Park there. Not doing well? They should be doing well. Isn't there quite a bit of employment there? The reason I know about it is that when I was the governor of Gyeonggi Province, there was a place called Gijang in Busan, right? The waves there are good. Because the waves are good, there were quite a few tourists surfing. They say businesses were trying to build an artificial surfing area there because the waves are good. However, there were rumors that the Busan city government kept dragging their feet for almost two years without giving any word on whether permits would be granted or not. So, I told the mayor of Siheung and the businesses, 'If you come to Gyeonggi Turtle Island, we will take care of everything for you,' and it took only about two years to get the permits and complete the construction swiftly. Gyeonggi Province under Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party of Siheung City swiftly attracted a big corporation, that's what I'm bragging about.
Earlier, on the 24th, candidate Lee Jun-seok wrote on his Facebook, 'Candidate Lee Jae-myung, it is said that he spoke nonsense unaware of reality after going to Siheung today. With a business that is not doing well and shopping areas empty, the citizens of Siheung must have been furious when he bragged that he created that Turtle Island.'
Fellow lawmaker Ju Jin-woo from the same party also pointed out on Facebook that 'During today's rally, candidate Lee Jae-myung highlighted Turtle Island as an achievement from his time as governor. (The Turtle Island Wave Park) is a colossal failure of Lee Jae-myung's administration.'
Lawmaker Na Kyung-won also wrote on Facebook, 'The shamelessness of candidate Lee Jae-myung, who brazenly brags at the campaign venue while fully aware of the reality, has crossed the line. He must stop deceiving and mocking the public and sincerely apologize to the victims.'
Park Seong-hoon, spokesperson for the People Power Party's Central Election Countermeasure Committee, commented, 'Doesn't the candidate who bragged about the Turtle Island project, which has become a 'ghost island,' see the tears of small businesses and self-employed individuals?'
He remarked, 'As of January, only 13% of the 3,253 stores in the Turtle Island commercial area are occupied, and the vacancy rate approaches 87%', adding, 'Oceanside cafes, convenience stores, and restaurants have all closed down in droves. It has become a place that is empty, a 'ghost island.'
In the real estate market, Turtle Island Wave Park is often cited as a case of failed commercial formation. Turtle Island is an artificial island created in the Siheung section north of the Siheung Lake. From above, it resembles a turtle lying on its belly, hence it is called 'Turtle Island.'
In 1994, the artificial lake Siheung Lake was created by filling in shared waters in the Siheung and Hwaseong areas, and Turtle Island is situated at the center of the Siheung Multi-Techno Valley (MTV) north of the lake. The land and buildings are owned by Siheung City, and the operation is managed by private corporations.
Seong-hoon Chang, a lawmaker from the People Power Party in Siheung City, pointed out during the city council's plenary session in March, 'The Turtle Island issue is a serious signal that the local economy is on the brink of collapse, and it must conduct immediate fact-finding investigations and solve the empty storefront problem through data-driven urban planning.'