Politics · South Korea · 50 mins ago
Special counsel appeals acquittal of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon
South Korea’s special counsel has appealed Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s acquittal in a political funding case.
The case concerns allegations that money was paid for opinion polls linked to political consultant Myung Tae-gyun.
On October 23, an appeals court overturned Oh’s first-trial sentence of a 10 million won fine and 21 million won in forfeiture, and found him not guilty.
The appeals judges said they could not rely on Myung’s testimony, which they viewed as the main direct evidence.
The special counsel says other evidence supports the allegations and argues that the appeals court wrongly dismissed it.
The Supreme Court will now review the case, so the acquittal is not yet the final outcome.
Oh had faced the risk of losing his mayoral office, but the acquittal removed that immediate threat.
A special counsel team has challenged the acquittal of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon in a political funds case linked to the 2021 mayoral by-election.
The team said it filed an appeal on Oct. 30, a week after an appellate court acquitted Oh.
The case concerns alleged payments totaling 33 million won for opinion polls Oh allegedly received from Myung Tae-kyun.
The appellate court said Myung’s testimony, the case’s only direct evidence, could not be fully trusted.
The special counsel argued that the court wrongly rejected evidence supporting the allegations.
- Who
- Special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon.
- What
- The special counsel challenged Oh’s acquittal in a political funds case.
- When
- Oct. 30, 2026; the acquittal was issued on Oct. 23.
- Where
- Seoul, South Korea. The case concerns the Seoul mayoral by-election.
- Why
- The special counsel says the acquittal wrongly rejected evidence supporting allegations that Oh received opinion polls paid for with political funds.
Special counsel team
Appellate court
Evidence
Special counsel team
The special counsel says objective evidence and circumstances support key parts of Myung Tae-kyun’s statements.
Appellate court
The court said Myung’s testimony, the case’s only direct evidence, could not be fully trusted.
Ruling
Special counsel team
The special counsel argues that rejecting the evidence exceeded the bounds of free evaluation of evidence.
Appellate court
The court acquitted Oh after finding the testimony unreliable.
The Seoul mayoral by-election took place.
An appellate court overturned Oh’s conviction and acquitted him.
The special counsel team said it had filed an appeal challenging the acquittal.
- Alleged payments
- 33 million won
- Opinion polls
- 10 occasions, according to the allegations
- Person who allegedly provided polls
- Myung Tae-kyun
- Acquittal date
- Oct. 23, 2026
- Special counsel appeal date
- Oct. 30, 2026
3 sources
What people are saying
Denying the credibility of Myung's testimony was unlawful, as it exceeded the bounds of the principle of free evaluation of evidence.
There are elements (of the ruling) that are highly inconsistent with common sense.