Major parties trade election-eve blows over fraud, troll farm allegations

On the eve of South Korea’s pivotal June 3 presidential election, the country’s two major parties are locked in an escalating battle of last-minute allegations—one involving a faked endorsement from American investor Jim Rogers, the other tied to a right-wing troll farm reportedly linked to a conservative candidate.

Large campaign banners for Democratic Party of Korea candidate Lee Jae-myung and People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo hang on a building in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, on June 2, 2025, a day before South Korea’s 21st presidential election./Yonhap

The People Power Party (PPP) on June 2 accused Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) candidate Lee Jae-myung of misleading the public with what it called a “fraudulent” claim of support from Rogers.

“Chairman Rogers has made it clear: he never endorsed Lee and considers this a total scam,” said Jang Dong-hyuk, head of PPP’s election situation room, during a press conference at party headquarters. “This is not just domestic embarrassment—it’s an international disgrace,” he added, labeling Lee an “international con artist” and a “voice-phishing candidate.”

The backlash centers on a May 29 event where DPK lawmaker Lee Jae-kang read aloud a statement purportedly written by Rogers, who is widely respected in Korea for his interest in inter-Korean investment. However, a news outlet later reported that Rogers denied having issued any endorsement, calling the statement “complete fraud.”

DPK officials have sought to downplay the controversy, framing it as a miscommunication rather than deception.“There seems to have been back-and-forth over the wording,” said party spokesperson Jo Seoung-lae. “To characterize this as a political scam goes too far.”

Kim Jin-hyang, a DPK-linked organizer of the Rogers event, acknowledged that a draft was relayed through a U.K.-based intermediary and conceded there may have been “phrasing issues.” Still, he insisted Rogers did, in fact, support Lee.

Meanwhile, the DPK is turning the spotlight on PPP candidate Kim Moon-soo, alleging ties to Rhee Park School—a far-right nationalist group accused of running an organized online comment-rigging unit dubbed the “Free Fingers Army.”

“More and more evidence links Kim to this troll operation,” said DPK floor leader Park Chan-dae. He cited a 2020 YouTube video in which Kim is seen wearing a campaign jumper for the Christian Liberal Unification Party, a minor conservative party he co-founded with far-right pastor Jun Kwang-hoon.

“Rhee Park School has openly boasted of its ties to Kim. Now their videos are disappearing from the internet. We’ve seen this before,” Park said, comparing the case to the National Intelligence Service’s comment manipulation scandal under the Lee Myung-bak administration.

A news outlet previously reported that Rhee Park School not only operated an online troll team but also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Seoul National University of Education to run after-school programs in 10 elementary schools across the capital.

Speaking to reporters on June 1 in North Gyeongsang Province, Lee Jae-myung said the PPP’s attempts to distance itself from the group defy belief. “The links between Kim Moon-soo and Rhee Park School are far too direct and well-documented for the PPP to claim ignorance,” he said.

The DPK’s rapid response team presented screenshots of Kim’s appearance in the 2020 video and noted that two Rhee Park School researchers ran as Christian Liberal Unification Party candidates in the 21st general election—at a joint press conference with Kim.

Kim has categorically denied any involvement. “I have no knowledge of this group. These claims are entirely baseless,” he said.

With less than 24 hours until polls open, both sides are gambling that their version of the story—scam or smear—will be the one that resonates with undecided voters.

[Park Ji-young]

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