Opposition lawmakers mock Seoul mayor after fine, suggest by-election opportunity

Following a 10 million won fine in his first trial for alleged political funding violations, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is facing calls for his resignation and potential by-election opportunities. The ruling, which found Oh guilty of receiving polling data from a political broker and arranging for its cost to be covered by a sponsor, has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties.

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Dreams come true. Ironically, Mayor Oh will make Representative Jang Dong-hyuk's dream of a by-election come true.

Park Ji-won, a Democratic Party lawmaker, sarcastically suggested that Oh's legal predicament might pave the way for a by-election, saying, "Dreams come true. Ironically, Mayor Oh will make Representative Jang Dong-hyuk's dream of a by-election come true." Park urged Oh to forgo an appeal, pay the fine, and "take a Han River bus ride once" as a form of atonement.

Other opposition figures echoed calls for accountability. Park Ju-min of the Democratic Party stated Oh is unfit to be mayor and that the fine was too light, urging for a stricter judgment in the appellate court. Cho Kuk Innovation Party spokesperson Im Myung-hee demanded Oh's immediate resignation, calling his continued defense of his innocence a "shameless lie" to the public.

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Oh Se-hoon is unfit to be mayor. There is no place for a lying mayor in Seoul.

The court determined that 21 million won of a 33 million won payment, facilitated by Oh's chief of staff, was for the polling data. If the sentence is finalized, Oh will lose his mayoral position. Several lawmakers are pushing for swift appellate and Supreme Court rulings within strict deadlines to avoid further delays.

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Mayor Oh Se-hoon should not deceive citizens with meaningless delays and should resign immediately.