Oh Se-hoon on Alleged Polling Fee Payment Scandal: "An Investigation Ordered to Follow a Script"

[Financial News] Oh Se-hoon, the Seoul Metropolitan City Mayor who is on trial for allegedly receiving public opinion poll results from political broker Myung Tae-gyun and having the costs paid by someone else, continued his criticism of the Kim Keon Hee Special Prosecutor Team.
Before appearing in court on the 17th for his trial on charges of violating the Political Funds Act, which is being heard by Criminal Division 22 of the Seoul Central District Court, Oh told reporters, "It was a 'special counsel ordered for political purposes' and an 'ordered indictment' specially designed to match the local election schedule." He added, "The prosecution's expected sentencing request today will be nothing more than another 'ordered request' in the same line."
He went on to say, "This is the worst election-related indictment, politically badly tainted, that completely reverses the real criminal and the innocent victim." He added, "Such conduct, which abused judicial power for political purposes and tried to destroy a political career, deserves condemnation."
He also said, "The time for the truth is now approaching." He continued, "During the investigation, I voluntarily submitted even my old mobile phones and have faced this with confidence, so I am certain that the substantive truth will now be clearly revealed through the judiciary's wise and just judgment."
When reporters asked whether he would file a complaint against the special counsel team for distorting the law, Oh replied, "I plan to review it after seeing the trial outcome."
The hearing on the day was a sentencing hearing, during which the special counsel team will also deliver its sentencing recommendation after questioning Oh and the other defendants.
Oh is accused of receiving both published and unpublished opinion polls related to the Seoul mayoral by-election from Myung Tae-gyun a total of 10 times between around Jan. 22 and Feb. 28, 2021, and of having businessman Kim Han-jung cover the related costs. The Kim Keon Hee Special Prosecutor Team concluded that Oh contacted Myung through his former chief of staff, Kang Cheol-won, who previously served as Seoul vice mayor for political affairs, received the polling results, and then asked Kim to transfer a total of 33 million won to an account held by Kang Hye-kyung, the deputy head of the Future Korea Research Institute, which Myung effectively controlled.
[email protected] Jung Kyung-soo Reporter