“I hid my father’s ID because I was afraid they would vote for me”… ‘Humor’ that crosses the line [Issue+]

‘Min Jeung Still Artist’ trend? political conflict between family members
Capturing the actual message... Is it humor or illegal?

“I hid my resident registration card because I was afraid people would vote for my dad.”
“Since my parents took OOO, I too will have to have my ID confiscated.”
“If there is a family member with the number O, we hide their ID first.”

Ahead of the 21st presidential election on the 3rd, stories of children saying that they have 'hid' or 'planned to hide' their parents' ID cards are spreading through social networking services (SNS) and online communities.

They usually express animosity toward their parents' or grandparents' political leanings and argue that "we must prevent them from voting." There is even a post that says, "My friend is truly a 'passionate still artist' so his parents have never voted," and in some quarters, this behavior is being consumed as humor.

According to an online community on the 2nd, in a message between family members revealed by a netizen, the mother complains to her child, "You didn't take your father's ID card with you, did you? You've been making a fuss and calling since the morning saying that your father is gone. Did you take it with you? No way. I can't live with it." To this, the child replied, "If you pick OOO, you will live well. Don't worry."

Another writer said, “My parents and I have very different political leanings, so even when I tell them about the candidate I support, there is no response,” and added, “That’s why I’m planning to hide my parents’ ID for a while on the day of the main vote.”

In response, criticism was posted, saying, "Stealing a family member's ID card is crossing the line," and "If you are uncomfortable with your parents supporting a different party than you, persuading more voters or engaging in political activities is the right way to go. Taking away your family's right to vote is a clear violation of their rights."

◇Conflict between generations can be a violation of rights that cannot be laughed off

It is pointed out that the act of hiding or taking ID cards to prevent family members from voting cannot be viewed as a simple incident between families.

However, even among legal experts, opinions are divided as to whether this act is actually subject to legal punishment.

Jong-eon Noh, an attorney at the existence law firm, explained, “This kind of behavior is typical interference with elections,” and explained, “Article 237 of the Public Official Election Act stipulates that criminal punishment is possible if the freedom of elections is interfered with through hierarchies, fraud, or other illegal methods.”

Attorney Noh pointed out, “As ID cards are a key means of participating in elections, hiding or taking them can be interpreted as a violation of the Public Official Election Act.”

On the other hand, there is also an interpretation that it is difficult to clearly punish a child for unilaterally hiding his or her identification card.

Jaeyoung Yoo, lawyer at Daeryun Law Firm, explained, "Article 242 of the Public Official Election Act stipulates punishment only for cases where an ID card is 'entrusted to or received' for the purpose of interfering with voting, so it is difficult to apply the provision if the child unilaterally hides the ID card."

Attorney Yoo said, "Also, under the Criminal Act, the crime of theft must be established when there is an 'intent to obtain illegal property,' but it is difficult to admit this simply by temporarily hiding the ID between family members. Even if a crime is committed, punishment may be exempted according to the provisions of the Criminal Act on Relative Funeral Ceremony."

In the end, it is clear that such an act is a serious issue that can infringe on freedom of elections, but whether actual legal punishment is imposed may vary depending on the specific circumstances and interpretation of the law.

◇"Other opinions must be respected"... The Paradox of Democracy

It is pointed out that likes and dislikes for political parties can become a part of generational identity and lead to conflicts within families.

Most of the children who hid their IDs said, “It doesn’t make sense for our family to vote for OOO,” and view the election as a kind of “struggle within the family.” Likewise, the gap between the younger generation and the older generation is deepening as the election season approaches.

Lee Jun-han, a professor at the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy at Incheon National University, said, "Political conflicts between generations have always existed in the past. In the past, there were cases where parents prevented their children from voting, but these days, on the contrary, the younger generation is trying to persuade or block their parents' generation. The reason this phenomenon is revealed is because it is shared through SNS and consumed as a kind of play, so it can be seen as a new thing."

Professor Lee said, "The problem is that voting is an individual's constitutional right," and emphasized, "Even if opinions differ, parents and children must respect each other. It can be said as a joke or a game, but we need a culture that respects each person's political views to prevent this from actually happening."

Meanwhile, the main voting day for the 21st presidential election is the 3rd, and voting will be held from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. At this time, you must bring your ID to vote.

ID cards include resident registration cards, driver's licenses, passports, youth ID cards, and civil servant ID cards issued by public institutions that state a photo and date of birth. Mobile ID cards issued through the Government 24 app or the PASS app can also be used.

However, screen captures are not accepted and must be presented in real time by running the app.

Reporter Yoo Ji-hee Hankyung.com (keephee@hankyung.com)

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"I hid my father's ID because I was afraid he would be selected as number ○"... ‘Humor’ that crosses the line [Issue+] (Shortcut)