According to the National Election Commission, the information on campaign spending by candidates for June 4 local elections is available in real-time through the Internet. As of May 19, 28 out of 133 candidates for Si mayors/Do governors and superintendents of education have disclosed details of campaign spending and 65 expressed intention to make the information public.

The NEC provides the real-time information on campaign spending by candidates through the NEC website (http://nec.go.kr) to guarantee voters’ right to know and ensure transparency of political funds in relation to the 6^th local elections.

If candidates voluntarily enter details of incomes and expenditures for campaign using the ‘accounting management program for political funds’ provided by the NEC, voters can view the information on the NEC website for disclosing incomes and expenditures of political funds.

According to the NEC, while disclosing campaign spending is not compulsory, more candidates agree with its purpose and therefore it is expected more candidates for heads of local governments and local assembly members as well as those for Si mayors/Do governors and superintendents of education will join in from May 22 when a full scale election campaign begins.

The NEC was also quoted as saying that the ‘political fund disclosure system’ was established to guarantee voters’ right to know and ensure transparency of political funds. Voters have not had a chance to check campaign spending-related information even though the information on how candidates raise and spend campaign funds is useful in choosing a candidate.  

Meanwhile, in June 2013, the NEC submitted to the National Assembly a proposal for revising the Political Funds Act for the purpose of disclosing incomes and expenditures of political parts including campaign spending within 48 hours after relevant transactions to enhance transparency of political funds.

The current Political Funds Act prescribes the disclosure of campaign spending by candidates from 30 days after election day through the NEC website for 3 months only.

The NEC expects the voluntary disclosure of campaign spending by candidates through the ‘political funds disclosure system’ will help candidates to enhance their public image while helping voters to select a candidate by allowing the real-time check of campaign spending by each candidate.

In addition, the NEC has asked political parties and candidates for their active cooperation, stating that incentives will be given to those who disclose details of incomes and expenditures for campaign in real-time. That is, they can be reimbursed for campaign spending without actual examination unless there is an objection, given that transparency of incomes and expenditures for campaign is ensured.