Original Source
Book Launch Events Proliferate Ahead of Elections, Rekindling Controversy Over Improper Political Fundraising
Ahead of the June local elections, prospective candidates are holding a series of book launch events. As there are no mechanisms to monitor how much money is raised at these book launch events or how it is used, criticism persists every election season. Reporter Lee Yu-jin reports.
[REPORT] Candidates for local elections are permitted to hold book launch events up to 90 days before the election. For this reason, around this time, just before the legal deadline, book launch events are held daily by a variety of prospective candidates, including incumbent local government heads and political newcomers seeking to raise their profiles.
Under current law, there is no obligation to report the total amount of funds raised at book launch events, nor are there any limits on the amount that can be collected. This is why book launch events are consistently criticized every election season for effectively being misused as a means of political fundraising.
In particular, incumbent local government heads often see officials and related organizations feel compelled to purchase books, frequently buying them at inflated prices under the guise of congratulatory or condolence contributions.
[Lee Hyo-yoon / Policy Director, Chungbuk Association for Participatory Self-Government: "Given the status and authority of local government heads, it can create invisible pressure, which is why I believe book launch events for incumbent local government heads are highly inappropriate."]
Amid this controversy, Jeungpyeong County Mayor Lee Jae-yeong canceled a planned book launch event late last year, citing concerns about imposing unnecessary burdens. Conversely, some candidates have chosen to declare they will not hold such events, using this as a form of reverse publicity.
[Yoon Seong-wook / Professor of Political Science and Diplomacy, Chungbuk National University: "Whether it's to show off influence, or, more concerningly, to serve as a channel for political fundraising, it inevitably leads to public distrust."]
Last year, when Prime Minister Kim Min-seok was a candidate, a controversy erupted over him collecting donations through a book launch event. As a result, the so-called "Black Envelope Act," which defines book profits as political funds, was proposed but remains pending in the National Assembly.
However, similar bills were also proposed during the 19th and 20th National Assemblies but failed to pass.
