SEOUL: South Korea's election watchdog accused the government on Thursday of violating its duty to remain neutral ahead of a closely fought general election next week.
The rare rebuke from the National Election Commission came as rival parties were neck-and-neck in the run-up to the April 11 poll, a key test of sentiment before a presidential vote in December.
The finance ministry Wednesday issued an estimate of the cost of welfare pledges made by both main parties. It said these could deal a serious blow to state finances and burden future generations.
The ministry said at least 360 trillion won ($319 billion) would be needed over the next five years to honour promises of better welfare made by the conservative New Frontier Party (NFP) and the centre-left opposition Democratic United Party (DUP).
It said parties were going too far in trying to win over voters with populist promises.
The election commission, however, said the ministry's review could unfairly influence voters. "The finance ministry's activity violates the duty of civil servants to remain neutral," it said in a statement.
Publication of detailed opinion polls is banned this week. But Realmeter, a polling agency, said Wednesday the DUP appeared to be maintaining a slim lead, with a likely difference between the two parties of 10 seats or fewer.
The NFP is striving to preserve its parliamentary majority in the 300-member legislature and to secure a second successive presidential victory in December.
The races are especially tight in Seoul and surrounding areas. A survey by three major TV stations this week showed the result was too close to call in half the seats.
The poll was set to focus on economic issues such as a widening income gap and high youth unemployment. But it is now dominated by alleged secret surveillance by the prime minister's office on vocal critics of the government.
The office is responsible for investigating ethical breaches by civil servants but critics say it also snooped on civic activists, politicians and celebrities.
Opposition leaders have urged President Lee Myung-Bak to "come clean" before next week's poll.
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