A Seoul court sentenced Mayor Oh Se-hoon to a 10 million won fine on Wednesday for violating the Political Funds Act [1].
The ruling marks a significant legal blow to the Seoul mayor, as it validates allegations that he bypassed campaign finance laws to influence public opinion through illicitly funded polling.
The Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 22 found that Oh allowed a supporter to pay for opinion polls on his behalf [2]. This arrangement violated the Political Funds Act, which strictly regulates how political candidates can receive and spend funds for campaign-related activities [2].
According to court records, the estimated cost of the opinion polls paid by Myung Tae-kyun was 30 million won [1]. The court determined that the mayor was responsible for the illegal acceptance of these funds.
Other individuals involved in the case also received penalties. Former Political Affairs Vice Mayor Kang Chul-won was sentenced to a three million won fine [3]. Additionally, Kim Han-jung was ordered to pay a five million won fine [3].
Reporting on the verdict, YTN anchor Lee Ha-rin said, "As reported, Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who was suspected of having opinion poll costs paid by Myung Tae-kyun, has been sentenced to a 10 million won fine" [1].
The decision follows a detailed investigation into the financial relationship between the mayor's office and external political consultants. The court focused on the direct violation of funding laws rather than the intent behind the polls themselves.
“Mayor Oh Se-hoon [was] sentenced to a 10 million won fine”
This ruling establishes a legal precedent regarding the accountability of high-ranking officials for the actions of their political consultants and supporters. By penalizing the mayor for the 'proxy payment' of polling costs, the court reinforces the strict nature of South Korea's Political Funds Act, suggesting that ignorance of a supporter's payment methods does not exempt a candidate from criminal liability.
