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【브레이크뉴스 대구】이성현 기자=국민의힘 대구 북구청장 경선이 당협 간부의 특정 후보 지지 논란으로 파행을 겪고 있다. 

이상길 국민의힘 북구청장 예비후보는 16일 기자회견을 열고 “대구 북구을 당협 소속 공직자가 중립 의무를 저버리고 특정 후보를 노골적으로 지지하며 경선의 공정성을 심각하게 훼손하고 있다”며 당 지도부의 엄중 조사를 촉구했다.

이 예비후보는 “당협 사무국장이 직접 단체 채팅방을 운영하며 지지를 독려하는 행위는 공직선거법 제57조의6(공무원의 지위를 이용한 경선운동 금지) 및 제86조 위반 소지가 매우 크다”며 “조직적인 경선 방해 행위를 즉각 중단하라”고 성토했다.

논란의 중심에 선 김 모 북구을 당협 사무국장은 최근 ‘이근수승리방’이라는 특정 후보를 지원하기 위한 단체 채팅방의 방장을 맡았다. 그는 공지를 통해 “이 방은 이근수 예비후보를 응원하고 지지하는 분들이 모인 소중한 공간”이라며 당원들의 결집을 노골적으로 독려하는 등 당헌 당규상의 중립 의무 및 선거법에서 정한 지위 및 직무를 넘어서는 행위로 선거법 위반 논란을 야기시켰다. 

이에 대하여 김 사무국장은 본지와의 통화에서 “나는 선거운동이 가능한 정무직 공무원이며, 해당 톡방은 기존 있던 방이다. 단톡방은 캠프 관계자의 요청으로 명의만 잠시 빌려준 것일 뿐 법 위반 의도는 없었다”고 해명했다. 그러나 김 국장의 해명과는 달리 선거법 논란은 이어질 전망이다. 특히, 당헌 당규상 문제에 심각한 충돌도 예상된다. 

이에 대하여 지역 정가에서는 이번 사안을 단순한 개인 일탈로 보지 않는 분위기다. 한 정가 관계자는 “경선을 공정하게 관리해야 할 당협의 핵심 인사가 심판의 본분을 잊고 특정 후보의 코치로 나선 꼴”이라며 강도 높게 비판했다.

타 후보들 사이에서도 “권력의 조직적 횡포 아래 피눈물을 흘리고 있다”, “사무국장의 사리사욕에 경선판이 오염됐다”는 비난과 함께 “이렇게 되면 역풍을 맞게 될 것”이라고 불만을 쏟아냈다. 실제, 모 후보자는 본지와 통화에서 “이번 일로 이근수 후보에서 다른 후보로 지지 후보자를 바꿨다”고 고백했다. 

한 법조계 관계자는 “경선 관리의 실무 책임자가 특정 후보의 홍보 대행사를 자처한 꼴”이라며 “이는 명백한 법 위반 소지가 있으며, 경선의 공정성을 완전히 무력화시키는 행위”라고 비판했다.

이제 시선은 중앙당과 선관위로 향하고 있다. 이상길 예비후보가 당협의 입장에 따라 고소·고발 등 법적 대응까지 검토하겠다고 밝힌 만큼, 김 국장의 ‘방장 교체’ 및 특정 후보지지 요청 행위가 향후 수사 및 조사 과정에서 공직선거법상 지위를 이용한 부정 선거운동의 핵심 증거가 될지 귀추가 주목된다.

<구글 번역으로 번역한 영문 기사의 전문 입니다. 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 밝힙니다.>

 People Power Party Daegu Buk-gu District Mayor Primary in ‘Muddy Waters’… Controversy Over Secretary General’s Interference and Allegations of ‘Destruction of Evidence’

Preliminary Candidate Lee Sang-gil Urges “Stop Organized Interference in Primary”… Secretary General Kim Jun-ho Handed Over Administrator Position and Deleted Records After Controversy Arises

As the People Power Party’s primary for the Daegu Buk-gu District Mayor faces disruptions due to a controversy over a party chapter executive supporting a specific candidate, a scandal is brewing as indications have been uncovered that the secretary general, who is at the center of the controversy, is attempting to destroy evidence.

Lee Sang-gil, a preliminary candidate for the People Power Party's Buk-gu District Mayor position, held a press conference on the 16th and urged the party leadership to conduct a rigorous investigation, stating, “A public official belonging to the Daegu Buk-gu Eul Party Chapter has abandoned their duty of neutrality and is blatantly supporting a specific candidate, seriously undermining the fairness of the primary.” This preliminary candidate strongly condemned the situation, stating, “The act of a party chapter secretary directly operating a group chat room to encourage support carries a high likelihood of violating Article 57-6 (Prohibition of Primary Campaigning Using the Status of a Public Official) and Article 86 of the Public Official Election Act,” and demanded, “Immediately cease these organized acts of obstructing the primary election.”

Kim, the secretary of the Buk-gu Eul Party Chapter who stands at the center of the controversy, recently created a group chat room under his own name titled “Lee Geun-soo Victory Room” to support a specific candidate and assumed the role of moderator. Through a notice, he stated, “This room is a precious space where those who cheer for and support preliminary candidate Lee Geun-soo gather,” and blatantly encouraged the rallying of party members. This behavior, which exceeded his duty of neutrality under the party constitution and regulations as well as his status and duties defined by the election law, has sparked controversy regarding violations of election law.

In response, Secretary Kim explained in a phone call with this newspaper, “I am a political appointee who is permitted to engage in election campaigning, and I merely lent my name to the group chat at the request of a campaign staff member; I had no intention of violating the law.”

However, contrary to Director Kim’s explanation, the controversy over election laws is expected to continue. In particular, serious clashes are anticipated regarding issues related to the party constitution and bylaws. It has been revealed that as the investigation began and the controversy spread, Director Kim hastily transferred the authority of the group chat he managed to a third party and engaged in so-called "destruction of evidence," such as deleting existing messages.

The prevailing sentiment in local political circles is that this is not viewed as a mere individual transgression. One political insider strongly criticized the situation, stating, "It amounts to a key figure in the party chapter, who should have been managing the primary fairly, forgetting his duty as a referee and stepping in as a coach for a specific candidate."

Among other candidates who have diligently prepared for the primary, complaints poured out, accompanied by accusations that they are "shedding tears of blood under the organized tyranny of power" and that "the primary is being tainted by the Secretary General's self-interest." They also warned that "if this continues, they will face a backlash." In fact, one candidate confessed in a phone call with this newspaper, "Because of this incident, I have switched my support from Candidate Lee Geun-soo to another candidate." A source in the legal community criticized the move, stating, “It amounts to the practical head of primary election management acting as a PR agency for a specific candidate,” adding, “This constitutes a clear violation of the law and is an act that completely undermines the fairness of the primary.”

Attention is now turning toward the central party and the National Election Commission. Given that preliminary candidate Lee Sang-gil has stated he is considering legal action, including filing complaints, depending on the party chapter’s stance, attention is focused on whether Director Kim’s actions of “replacing the room manager” and “deleting records” will become key evidence of illegal election campaigning using his position under the Public Official Election Act during future investigations.