Seongnam Mayor Lee Jae-myung on Tuesday denied allegations that he instructed city government officials to conduct an illegal election campaign before the official campaigning period via social media. The local election is slated to be held in 2018.

The National Election committee Monday said it had requested police in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, to investigate Lee on a tip-off from a civil group last August. Investigators said they have yet to specify charges against him and are currently reviewing the case.

Korean law bans anyone from conducting election campaigning prior to the official period.

“What government officials would risk their necks to illegally campaign on the mayor‘s order? ... It is the duty of civil servants to communicate with people via social media,” he said on his Facebook page, adding that the city of Seongnam had received an award from the Ministry of Interior on its effective use of social media for policy promotion and addressing civil complaints.

The Seongnam Metropolitan Government had maintained that it used the social media to promote the city policy to residents, and accused the investigation as a politically charged offensive.

Lee has been vocal against many of the government’s major policies, including the Korea-Japan deal on sex slavery victims. He has also faced off with the central government over the municipality’s measure to dole out coupons to help unemployed youth.

(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)