Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon acquitted in political funds case
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon leaves the Seoul High Court in Seoul, Friday, after being acquitted of political funding charges. Newsis
Appellate court questions key witness's credibility; special counsel to appeal
An appeals court on Friday acquitted Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon of political funding charges linked to opinion polls conducted ahead of his 2021 election, overturning a local court conviction that threatened his tenure and political future.
The Seoul High Court panel, led by Judge Ku Hoi-geun, reversed a July ruling that fined Oh 10 million won ($7,500) and ordered him to forfeit 21 million won — a sentence that would have cost him his mayoral post had it become final.
The case centered on allegations that Oh commissioned opinion polls from political broker Myung Tae-kyun ahead of the 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election and had his supporter, a businessman named Kim Han-jung, pay for them. The charges involved 10 polls and payments totaling 33 million won.
The central dispute was whether Oh had requested the polls and knew that Kim was paying for them.
“Myung’s testimony is the only direct evidence on the central issue in this case, but it is inconsistent overall and conflicts with objective circumstances on numerous points, making it difficult to believe,” the judge said. “It is difficult to conclude that sufficient grounds have been provided to credit only certain parts of his testimony, or that other evidence has been presented to corroborate it.”
The lower court earlier found parts of Myung’s testimony credible and convicted the mayor in connection with five of the 10 polls.
“It has not been proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Oh commissioned specific opinion polls from Myung and intended to pay for them, as alleged in the charges,” Ku said, adding that any remaining doubt must be resolved in the defendant’s favor, even if inconsistencies or unexplained circumstances raise suspicions of guilt.
“This is a long-established, fundamental principle of criminal law intended to ensure that no one is unjustly punished through investigation and prosecution,” the judge added.
In questioning Myung’s credibility, the court cited indications that his relationship with Oh’s camp had deteriorated and that he felt his contribution to Oh’s election win had not been sufficiently recognized.
The court also acquitted Kim and former Deputy Mayor Kang Chul-won, who were indicted alongside Oh for involvement in the poll requests.
Oh smiled as the court announced his acquittal. He left the courtroom with reddened eyes and shook hands with supporters waiting in the hallway, thanking them individually.
Speaking to reporters after the ruling, Oh apologized for causing concern to the public over the case, saying he should have exercised greater caution in public office.
“I sincerely thank the citizens of Seoul for believing in my innocence and voting to allow me to serve as mayor again, even as the trial was underway,” Oh said. “I will work even harder to repay their trust.”
The Seoul Metropolitan Government also issued a statement pledging to press ahead with Oh’s key policies for his new term.
Special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team expressed disappointment with the decision and said it would appeal to the Supreme Court to seek its reversal.
Earlier this month, former President Yoon Suk Yeol was also acquitted of charges of receiving free opinion polls from Myung ahead of the 2022 presidential election. The Seoul High Court overturned a lower court ruling that found him guilty of violating the Political Funds Act, saying the free polls could not be seen as political donations.