Head of the state election watchdog pledged to promptly and sternly respond to major election crimes, such as bribery or dissemination of false information ahead of the April 10 general elections.

In a message to the public on Wednesday, a day before the start of the official campaign period, National Election Commission(NEC) Chairperson Roh Tae-ak said fairness in campaigning is just as important as election proceedings.

Roh called on all public officials to maintain political neutrality, saying their interference in elections is a serious legal violation that damages the foundation of the electoral system.

Emphasizing that the elections to form a new National Assembly should be about policies, the watchdog chief urged all candidates to engage in fair competition based on policies and pledges that can realized, rather than criticizing their opponents.

He then highlighted the NEC's preparations for fair election management by referring to the newly adopted 24-hour surveillance system covering locations where early voting ballot boxes are kept, as well as the manual checking of ballots during vote counting.