Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon Sentenced to 1 Year and 6 Months in Prison

According to Yonhap News Agency on the 17th, the special prosecutor’s team, led by Kim Geon-hee, requested the court to sentence current Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon to one year and six months in prison for allegedly violating the Political Funds Act, and to recover 33 million won.

The special prosecutor’s team held the closing public trial of Oh Se-hoon’s case against him for allegedly violating the Political Funds Act at the Seoul Central District Court that day. The team pointed out that Oh Se-hoon, as a prominent politician, should have strictly abided by the Political Funds Act, but he failed to follow legal procedures by having a third party pay for polling fees closely related to his political activities.

According to reports, Oh Se-hoon is accused of accepting poll results from political broker Myung Tae-kyun on 10 separate occasions before the 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election, and having his long-time supporter, businessman Kim, pay 33 million won for the polling fees. The special prosecutor’s team indicted Oh Se-hoon last December on charges of violating the Political Funds Act.

Kim Geon-hee, wife of former South Korean President Yoon Seok-youl, is suspected of accepting dozens of free polling services from Myung Tae-kyun during the 2022 presidential election. Oh Se-hoon is also implicated in related scandals.

Oh Se-hoon was re-elected as mayor of Seoul in the local elections held in early June this year.