(News Focus) Ex-President Yoon causes stir after watching documentary film on alleged election rigging

Ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol sparked controversy Wednesday after he attended a screening of a documentary film on alleged election rigging, in what could be seen as potential political interference less than two weeks before the June 3 presidential vote.

Yoon showed up at a movie theater in Seoul’s Dongdaemun district to watch “Rigged Election: An Act of God?,” a documentary alleging that several key elections in the past, including last year’s parliamentary election that gave the liberal Democratic Party (DP) a majority, were fraudulent.

It was Yoon’s first public appearance in 47 days since he was removed from office on April 4 over his failed martial law declaration, except for appearances at his insurrection trial.

The movie also claims that the upcoming presidential election, which will choose Yoon’s successor, could be rigged through the computerized voting system.

Yoon’s actions immediately sparked controversy, as they are potentially seen as an attempt to rally hard-line conservative voters by promoting allegations of election rigging and the former president’s effort to influence the election, with the voting just weeks away.

Allegations of election rigging were among the main reasons Yoon cited when declaring martial law on December 3. He justified the decree as necessary to uncover the truth behind the election fraud claims.

Yoon arrived for the movie at around 9:40 a.m. and left right after the film ended, without making any remarks to media.

Speaking with officials from the film production company, Yoon called for “a transparent way” to conduct elections without electronic devices, such as hand counts used in Taiwan and Germany, the director of the documentary, Lee Young-don, told reporters later.

Lee said that there were no messages from Yoon about the June 3 election.

Shin Yul, a professor of political science at Myongji University, said Yoon may try to justify insurrection charges facing him by watching the documentary film on alleged election fraud.

“In a democracy, the most important thing is social trust in the system,” Shin told Yonhap News Agency, criticizing Yoon for undermining such trust as a former head of state.

Yoon left the People Power Party (PPP) on Saturday amid calls from within the PPP for his departure to help the party win the election.

Yoon has reportedly endorsed PPP presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo in the race.

Outside the movie theater, a group of Yoon’s supporters cheered and chanted his name when he arrived. They were holding red balloons marked with the phrase, “Only you don’t see it — election fraud.”

Yoon greeted them with a brief nod before entering the cinema.