A series of criminal verdicts involving politicians from the opposition People Power Party is scheduled from mid-October. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Daegu Mayor Choo Kyung-ho and Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon all face rulings in cases brought by special counsel teams. Because convictions could cost them their posts as local government heads and a National Assembly seat, the rulings are expected to mark an autumn turning point for the party's legal exposure.
First-Trial Fine Could Cost Oh His Mayoral Post; Appeal Hinges on 'Oh Doesn't Know' Recording
The Seoul High Court's Criminal Division 7, presided over by Senior Judge Ku Hoe-keun, held the final hearing in Oh's political funds case on the 2nd and concluded arguments in the appeal, according to legal circles on the 3rd. The special counsel team led by Min Joong-ki again sought a prison term of one year and six months for Oh, the same sentence requested in the first trial. The court set sentencing for 2 p.m. on the 23rd of this month. The appellate ruling will come about three months after the first-instance verdict was delivered on July 22.
Oh was indicted over allegations that opinion poll costs were paid on his behalf by a third party. At the heart of the case is the claim that ahead of the April 2021 by-election for Seoul mayor, Oh commissioned opinion polls from political broker Myung Tae-kyun through Kang Chul-won, then his chief of staff and later Seoul's vice mayor for political affairs. The special counsel believes Oh's camp arranged for businessman Kim Han-jung, known as a backer of Oh, to cover the polling costs, resulting in payments totaling 33 million won across 10 instances.
The first-instance court found that five of the polls were conducted at the request of Oh's camp. It held that Oh had sufficient motive to commission polls from Myung at a time when his political standing had weakened somewhat. The court also recognized that Kim paid 21 million won for those five polls on Oh's behalf. Its reasoning was that such a large sum could not have changed hands without a request from Oh's camp, given that Kim and Myung had not yet built a close enough relationship at the time. The court fined Oh 10 million won, an amount that under the Political Funds Act would cost him the mayoralty.
During the appeal, a recording in which Myung says "Oh Se-hoon doesn't know" became the central point of contention. Kim's side, which allegedly covered the costs, submitted as evidence a recording of a conversation with Myung from around March 2021. In the recording, Kim says he acted on his own initiative to help Oh, saying, "They didn't ask for it, I did it by myself." Myung also says, "Oh Se-hoon doesn't know. He doesn't know, so don't worry. I'll take care of it."
Oh's side argued that the recording shows Kim supported the polling costs independently, with no request from Oh. Myung's side, however, is said to have submitted a written statement to the court asserting that the remark "Oh Se-hoon doesn't know" referred not to the polls but to efforts to unify opposition candidates. The court has accepted the recording as impeachment evidence.
Kim's side, which submitted the evidence, also pointed out that in the recording Myung disparaged Oh, saying he was "a guy with a bad fortune" and "fated to die away from home." Their argument is that if Myung had been conducting polls at Oh's request and receiving payment for them, such strong hostility toward Oh at the same time would be incompatible with the charges.
In his closing statement, Oh stressed that he had taken the lead in enacting the so-called Oh Se-hoon Law aimed at making political funds more transparent. "The idea that I asked someone described as a backer to pay costs on my behalf cannot be reconciled with the political convictions I have upheld, and is beyond imagining," Oh said in asserting his innocence.
Prosecutors Seek One Year for Kim Over Luxury Handbag
Kim, who is accused of providing a luxury handbag to former first lady Kim Keon-hee in return for support in his party leadership election, faced a request for a one-year prison term at the final hearing on charges of violating the anti-graft law. The hearing was held on the 28th of last month before the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 22, presided over by Senior Judge Cho Hyung-woo.
Kim was indicted on charges that he and his wife, surnamed Lee, provided a Roger Vivier clutch bag worth 2.6 million won in March 2023 in return for the former first lady mobilizing Unification Church members to support his party leadership campaign. Kim's side acknowledges that his wife gave the bag as a gift but maintains there was no improper solicitation. Kim Keon-hee, who appeared as a witness in the case, testified that she had no memory of receiving the bag directly and found it later at the presidential residence.
The special counsel argued that the couple's actions should be seen not as ordinary gift-giving but as an offense combining power and official duties. "The president and his spouse intervened in a party leadership race, and the nation's highest authority was used on behalf of a particular candidate," the special counsel said. "Rep. Kim secretly handed over expensive goods to the former first lady in order to obtain the position of leader of the governing party." The special counsel also stressed that the offense damaged fairness and public trust, and noted that Kim had shown no remorse and had responded by remaining silent.
Kim's side countered that there is no evidence he was involved in providing the bag or conspired with his wife. It argued that his wife's letter contained no expression of gratitude or reciprocation for his election as party leader, and that there is no evidence Kim knew of or approved the gift in advance. On the claim that he received support from the former first lady, Kim said his approval ratings had already been rising and that he had built his own base within the party.
In his closing statement, Kim said, "I have been in politics for 23 years since I was first elected to the National Assembly, and I have never been involved in corruption. My wife and I trust each other and do not interfere in each other's private lives," again stressing that he had no part in the gift. Lee also asserted her innocence, saying, "It is true that I gave a gift to Kim Keon-hee, but I did not do so expecting anything in return."
The court will deliver its ruling at 2 p.m. on the 30th of this month. Kim would also lose his parliamentary seat if a sentence of imprisonment or heavier is finalized by the Supreme Court, stripping him of his eligibility to hold office.
Special Counsel Says Choo 'Played the Role of Martial Law Troops Inside the Assembly'
The special counsel team led by Cho Eun-suk sought a 20-year prison term for Choo at the final hearing on charges of playing a key role in insurrection. The hearing was held on the 30th of last month before the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 34, presided over by Senior Judge Han Sung-jin.
Choo was indicted over allegations that he obstructed a vote to lift martial law. He is accused of repeatedly changing the venue of a party meeting as the People Power Party's floor leader on Dec. 3, 2024, when martial law was declared, acting at the request of former President Yoon Suk-yeol and thereby preventing party lawmakers from taking part in the National Assembly vote to lift it.
The special counsel criticized Choo for acting from within to neutralize the Assembly's constitutional authority to lift martial law. Troops and police were mobilized outside the Assembly to obstruct passage of the resolution demanding an end to martial law, the special counsel argued, while inside, Choo, then the governing party's floor leader, carried out that role.
The special counsel stressed that Choo and Yoon were in a state of tacit mutual understanding, each already aware of what the other wanted. On that basis, it argued that Choo recognized the illegality of the martial law declaration yet responded to Yoon's request for cooperation and joined the insurrection. "He disrupted lawmakers' movements so that the Assembly could not stop martial law, aiding the insurrectionary forces," the special counsel said. "A lawmaker who swore to uphold the constitution voluntarily took part in an insurrection."
Choo's side countered that he never received a request for cooperation from Yoon and had no knowledge of the substance of the martial law declaration. It also argued that there is no evidence whatsoever to suggest he was instructed by Yoon to block the vote.
In his closing statement, Choo asserted his innocence, saying, "The special counsel's claims are a distortion entirely at odds with the facts. Looking back, I regret not having communicated more carefully in an urgent and chaotic situation, but I absolutely did not obstruct the vote."
The first-instance ruling on the allegations that Choo obstructed the martial law vote will be delivered on the 18th of next month. Under the Local Autonomy Act and other laws, Choo would lose the mayoralty if a sentence of imprisonment or heavier is finalized by the Supreme Court.
