On the 2nd, one day before the 6·3 local elections, an electronic banner congratulating a particular candidate on victory was posted on the electronic billboard inside Taebaek City Hall in Gangwon Province, causing controversy.

On the 3rd, according to the Gangwon Provincial Chapter of the Democratic Party of Korea, the previous evening the billboard inside Taebaek City Hall displayed a screen bearing the phrase ‘Congratulations on the election of Mayor Lee Sang-ho’ along with a photograph of People Power Party candidate Lee Sang-ho and a bouquet of flowers.

The Gangwon Provincial Chapter of the Democratic Party issued a statement criticizing, “Posting language that predicts and congratulates the victory of a specific candidate before election results are even announced is an act that seriously undermines the fairness of the election.” It continued, “This is proof that the suspicion of civil servants intervening in the election is drawing closer to the truth,” adding, “We strongly condemn Taebaek City for staining the local election as a government-driven election.”

The Democratic Party's Gangwon Provincial Chapter urged, “Taebaek City must clearly investigate how the phrase came to be posted, the decision-making process, and the roles of those involved, and make a full and transparent disclosure.”

People Power Party Taebaek mayoral candidate Lee Sang-ho countered in a statement, “I make it clear that I have no connection whatsoever with the posting of the billboard message,” arguing, “Distorting the matter as if there were organized behind-the-scenes involvement directing the problematic billboard post is nothing but a political operation.”

He went on to state, “Errors by administrative agencies should be addressed by identifying the internal circumstances in accordance with law and principle and by undergoing an investigation.”