Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon Fined $7,200 in Political Funds Act Violation Case; Vows Appeal

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has been fined 10 million won ($7,200) in a first-instance court ruling over violations of the Political Funds Act. The conviction stems from allegations that he received illegal opinion poll data and had a campaign associate cover the costs during the 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of 21 million won. Oh, who belongs to the People Power Party, was indicted last December. Prosecutors accused him of receiving unpublished poll results on 10 occasions and having his then-chief of staff, Kang Chul-won, arrange for a campaign supporter, businessman Kim Han-jung, to pay approximately 33 million won for this data.

However, Mayor Oh has vowed to appeal the ruling, stating, "This first-instance ruling contains significant errors in factual and legal judgment. It will be corrected in a higher court." He maintains his innocence regarding the charges.

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This first-instance ruling contains significant errors in factual and legal judgment. It will be corrected in a higher court.

Meanwhile, Park Jie-won, a lawmaker from the opposition Democratic Party, commented on the ruling via social media. He suggested that the conviction could ironically pave the way for a rival's re-election aspirations. "Mayor Oh, who lied without batting an eye as the mayor of 10 million Seoul citizens, the capital of the Republic of Korea," Park wrote, "the path to atonement is to give up the appeal, pay the 10 million won fine, and perhaps take a ride on the Han River bus."

Kang Chul-won, the former Seoul deputy mayor, was fined 3 million won, and the supporter Kim Han-jung received a 5 million won fine. The case highlights ongoing scrutiny of political funding and campaign practices in South Korea.

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Mayor Oh, who lied without batting an eye as the mayor of 10 million Seoul citizens, the capital of the Republic of Korea, the path to atonement is to give up the appeal, pay the 10 million won fine, and perhaps take a ride on the Han River bus.