Special Counsel Seeks 18-Month Prison Term for Oh Se-hoon Over Alleged Polling Expense Reimbursement; Says Public Trust Was Undermined

Photo = News1 [Financial News] The Kim Keon Hee Special Prosecutor Team, led by Special Counsel Min Joung-kie, sought a prison sentence for Seoul Metropolitan City Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who is accused of receiving polling results from political broker Myeong Tae-gyun and arranging for the costs to be paid by a third party. Oh’s side countered that Myeong’s claims were nothing more than a scam and an extortion scheme, and that he too was a victim. The Criminal Division 22 of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Chief Judge Cho Hyung-woo, held the closing hearing on the 17th for Oh, former Seoul Metropolitan City Vice Mayor for Political Affairs Kang Cheol-won, and businessman Kim Han-jung, a supporter of Oh, who are all charged with violating the Political Funds Act.
The special counsel asked the court to sentence Oh to 18 months in prison and impose a fine of 33 million won. It said Oh denied the offense and tried to avoid responsibility as the ultimate decision-maker. The team noted, "As a leading politician, Oh was in a position that required him to comply with the Political Funds Act more than anyone else.
Yet he bypassed the procedures set by law and had the expenses paid through a third party, undermining the legislative purpose of ensuring transparency in political funds and eroding public trust. " Oh’s side argued that Myeong’s allegations were false and insisted that he was also a victim. In his final statement, Oh said, "This is a case in which prosecutors, thoroughly subordinated to and weaponized by politics based on a Special Prosecutor Act made by the Democratic Party of Korea, for the Democratic Party of Korea, and for the Democratic Party of Korea, indicted me.
It is Myeong Tae-gyun’s scenario, with Myeong Tae-gyun in the lead and the special counsel directing the production, timed to the election season. It is a highly dishonest and immoral indictment.
Politician Oh Se-hoon stands upright. " The special counsel also asked the court to sentence Kang and Kim, who were indicted alongside Oh, to one year in prison each.
Under the Political Funds Act, a defendant who receives a fine of 1 million won or more loses eligibility to run for office and has their election invalidated. Under the Local Autonomy Act, a local government head loses office if they lose eligibility to run.
If Oh is ultimately convicted of a fine of at least 1 million won and the ruling is finalized by the Supreme Court of Korea, he would lose his position as mayor of Seoul. Oh is accused of receiving a total of 10 public and private opinion polls related to the Seoul mayoral by-election from Myeong between around January 22 and February 28, 2021, and of having Kim pay the related costs.
The court is scheduled to deliver its ruling on the 22nd of next month.
theknight@fnnews.com Jung Kyung-soo Reporter