Why could Rep. Jeong Jun-ho lose his National Assembly seat after the Gwangju court ruling?

The court sentenced him to a 10 million won fine for violating election and political fund laws. Under the law, a finalized fine of 1 million won or more for those violations can strip a lawmaker of a seat.

What charges led to Rep. Jeong Jun-ho's trial in Gwangju?

He was accused of taking 50 million won from a construction company CEO around July 2023 and promising to hire the CEO's child as his legislative assistant if elected. He was also accused of paying campaign workers to operate a telephone campaign center before the Democratic Party of Korea primary.

What happened in Rep. Jeong Jun-ho's case before the Friday sentencing?

His trial resumed after prosecutors re-indicted him. A court had dismissed the charges in February because of a prosecutorial error.

DPK lawmaker fined $7,220, faces loss of Assembly seat

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Summary

The Gwangju District Court in Gwangju on Friday fined Rep. Jeong Jun-ho of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea 10 million won for violating election and political fund laws. The sentence could strip him of his National Assembly seat if finalized. The court also ordered him to forfeit 50 million won. Jeong was accused of taking 50 million won from a construction company CEO around July 2023 and making illicit payments to campaign workers.

Key Facts

Jeong was indicted for allegedly accepting 50 million won from the CEO of a construction company around July 2023 in exchange for promising to hire the executive's child as a legislative assistant if elected.
He was also accused of making illicit payments to campaign workers to run a telephone campaign center between November 2023 and February 2024.
By law, National Assembly members lose their seats if a fine of 1 million won or more for violating election or political fund laws is finalized.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 18, 2026 4:41 pm KST

Rep. Jeong Jun-ho of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, who was found guilty in a first trial for violating election and political fund laws, speaks to reporters about the rulling at the Gwangju District Court, Friday. Newsis

A court on Friday sentenced Rep. Jeong Jun-ho of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea to a fine of 10 million won ($7,220) for violating election and political fund laws, a sentence that could strip him of his National Assembly seat if finalized.

The Gwangju District Court in Gwangju, 270 kilometers south of Seoul, also ordered Jeong to forfeit 50 million won in connection with the same charges.

Jeong was indicted on charges of accepting 50 million won from the CEO of a construction company around July 2023, about nine months before the general elections in April 2024, in exchange for promising to hire the executive's child as his legislative assistant if elected to the National Assembly.

The lawmaker was also accused of making illicit payments to his campaign workers to operate a telephone campaign center between November 2023 and February 2024, ahead of the Democratic Party of Korea's primary for the 2024 general elections.

By law, members of the National Assembly are stripped of their seats if sentenced to a finalized penalty of a fine of 1 million won or greater for violating the election or political fund laws.

Jeong's trial resumed after prosecutors re-indicted him following a court decision in February to dismiss the charges due to a prosecutorial error.

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