(MAY 20, 2026) ADDRESS TO THE NATION

(MAY 20, 2026) ADDRESS TO THE PUBLIC ON THE 9TH NATIONWIDE LOCAL ELECTIONS

#MinistryOfTheInteriorAndSafety #Briefing #LocalElections
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[The 9th Nationwide Simultaneous Local Elections and By-elections Are Now 14 Days Away]

✔ **Official Campaign Period Begins on May 21**
▪️Candidates will officially begin election campaigning
▪️All efforts will be made to ensure the elections are fair and clean
▪️Zero-tolerance principle will be applied to false information, fake news, and election crimes
▪️Close cooperation with the private sector to eradicate fake news

✔ **Ensuring Political Neutrality Among Public Officials**
▪️Public officials will maintain strict political neutrality and public discipline
▪️Strengthened inspections of public officials, with strict measures against misconduct
▪️Full efforts will be made to support and supervise local governments to prevent administrative gaps

✔ **Request for Employers to Guarantee Workers’ Voting Rights**

✔ **Local Elections as an Opportunity for Grassroots Democracy**
▪️Encouraged citizens to exercise their valuable right to vote in the 9th nationwide local elections
▪️Voters unable to vote on election day are encouraged to use early voting stations
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[Local Elections Will Choose Leaders to Shape the Future of Local Communities]

✔ **Protecting Free Expression and Choice in the Electoral Process**
▪️Illegal acts during the election process will be dealt with strictly
▪️Major election crimes will be intensively monitored and firmly addressed using all available resources
▪️Rapid spread of false and fake news due to AI and social media development
▪️Concerns growing over distortion of public choice and damage to election fairness
▪️Scientific investigative methods will be used to track the spread of false information

✔ **Crimes Impersonating Political Parties and Election Officials Detected**
▪️The Ministry of Justice and prosecution authorities will cooperate with police to respond to livelihood-related crimes

✔ **Thorough Preparation to Prevent Gaps in Election Crime Response**
▪️Close cooperation with police to ensure comprehensive 대응 to election crimes
▪️Serious election crimes will be dealt with strictly according to law and principle

✔ **Confidence That the Local Elections Will Be Conducted Fairly and Maturely**

#MinistryOfTheInteriorAndSafety #Briefing #LocalElections

🔹Date: May 20, 2026 (Wed) 11:20
🔹Venue: Briefing Room, Main Building, Government Complex Seoul
🔹Speakers:
▪️Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-jung
▪️Minister of Justice Jung Sung-ho