DistantNews
Support us
🇰🇷 South Korea /Elections & Politics

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon fined in first trial, faces growing judicial risk as city remains 'calm'

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon was sentenced to a 10 million won fine in his first trial for violating the Political Funds Act.
  • Oh has stated he will appeal the ruling, and he will retain his mayoral position until a final verdict is reached.
  • The Seoul Metropolitan Government will continue its operations as usual, but faces the challenge of managing policy implementation alongside the ongoing legal proceedings.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon received a 10 million won fine in his first trial for violating the Political Funds Act, a ruling that will cast a shadow over the city's administration for the foreseeable future. Oh has vowed to appeal the decision, and under current law, he will remain in office until a final verdict is delivered.

The legal process, however, is expected to be lengthy. Under the "6-3-3 principle" applicable to special prosecutor cases, the appellate court is expected to rule in October, with a Supreme Court decision potentially by January. This timeline is not strictly binding and may be subject to the court's schedule.

While the Seoul Metropolitan Government maintains a calm stance, stating that city operations will proceed without immediate changes, the prolonged legal battle presents a significant "judicial risk." The city is currently pursuing major policies, including urban redevelopment and transportation infrastructure projects, which require substantial long-term investment and administrative effort. These initiatives may now be influenced by political considerations.

He must acknowledge his hypocrisy and illegal charges and sincerely apologize to the citizens of Seoul.

— Choi Jung-eunDemocratic Party spokesperson for the Seoul Metropolitan Council, commenting on the ruling and calling for the mayor's resignation.

The relationship with the Seoul City Council, dominated by the Democratic Party, adds another layer of complexity. The party has called for Oh's resignation, demanding an apology and urging him to step down to "return to normal politics." The ruling is likely to become a focal point in upcoming council sessions concerning budget approvals, ordinance processing, and administrative audits.

Internally, the city administration remains outwardly composed, with departments continuing their work as scheduled. However, sustained public attention on the mayor's position throughout the appeals process could eventually impact the organizational atmosphere.

We must minimize the burden on the city administration and make a bold decision to return to normal politics.

— Choi Jung-eunDemocratic Party spokesperson for the Seoul Metropolitan Council, urging the mayor to step down.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog