Politics · South Korea · 48 mins ago
Kim expects Seoul mayor’s first-instance conviction to stand on appeal
South Korea’s main opposition leader, Kim Min-seok expects Oh Se-hoon’s conviction to stand, as Seoul’s mayor faces an appeal ruling on Oct.
23.
Oh was convicted in July of violating the Political Funds Act and sentenced to a 100 million won fine.
Kim said he had seen no sign that the first-instance verdict would change.
If the appeal court upholds a sentence that disqualifies Oh from office, and the Supreme Court later confirms it, Oh would lose his job and be barred from running for office for five years.
That could lead to a by-election for Seoul mayor, and Kim said his party is preparing for that possibility.
He said the party is considering how to bring together candidates and support from different groups, including people outside the party.
The appeal ruling is expected on Oct.
23, and what happens next depends on the courts’ decisions.
Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok said he expects the first-instance conviction of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon to be upheld on appeal.
The Seoul High Court was scheduled to deliver its ruling on Oct. 23 in Oh’s political funds case.
Oh was fined 10 million won in July after a lower court partially accepted the charges.
If a sentence that disqualifies him from office is upheld and becomes final, Oh would lose his mayorship.
Kim said his party was preparing for the possibility of a Seoul mayoral by-election.
- Who
- Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok.
- What
- Kim expects Oh’s first-instance conviction in a political funds case to stand on appeal.
- When
- The appeals court was scheduled to rule on Oct. 23, 2026.
- Where
- Seoul, South Korea.
- Why
- Kim said he had seen no indication or new circumstances suggesting the first-instance ruling would change.
Kim Min-seok and the Democratic Party
Oh Se-hoon
Appeal outcome
Kim Min-seok and the Democratic Party
Kim expects the first-instance conviction to be upheld.
Oh Se-hoon
Oh has maintained his innocence and appealed the ruling.
Opinion polls
Kim Min-seok and the Democratic Party
Kim said he had seen no indication that the first-instance ruling would change.
Oh Se-hoon
Oh is accused of receiving opinion polls paid for by a supporter; he says asking a supporter to pay on his behalf would have gone against his political beliefs.
A lower court fined Oh 10 million won after partially recognizing the charges.
Kim said he expected the first-instance ruling to remain in place and that his party was preparing for a possible by-election.
The Seoul High Court was scheduled to deliver its ruling on Oh’s appeal at 2 p.m.
- Lower-court fine
- 10 million won
- Opinion polls alleged
- 10 occasions
- Payments found by lower court
- 21 million won
- Payments sought in special counsel appeal
- 33 million won
- Appeals hearing
- Seoul High Court, scheduled for 2 p.m. on Oct. 23, 2026
6 sources
What people are saying
I have not found any circumstances or new developments that would change the first-instance guilty verdict, so I lean more toward it staying as it is.
Ultimately, the possibility of having a Seoul mayoral election, a by-election, is increasing.
It would have been against my political beliefs to ask a supporter to make payments on my behalf.