[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Former Seoul Jung-gu Mayor Seo Yang-ho and others were arrested on charges of illegally recruiting party members using their official positions ahead of the 8th nationwide local elections held in June last year.
According to the court on the 14th, Kim Sang-woo, the chief judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Central District Court, issued an arrest warrant for former Mayor Seo the day before, stating "there is a concern of evidence destruction." Judge Kim also issued warrants for two former Jung-gu district officials for the same reason.
Former Seoul Jung-gu Mayor Seo Yang-ho, accused of illegally recruiting party members, is attending the warrant hearing at the Seoul Central District Court on the 13th. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Earlier, the Public Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Lee Sang-hyun) requested pre-arrest warrants on the 9th for three individuals, including former Mayor Seo and two former Jung-gu officials, on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act and the Local Public Officials Act.
Former Mayor Seo and others are accused of recruiting about 2,000 party members using their official positions from early 2021 until just before the June 1 local elections last year.
Prosecutors' investigation revealed that former Mayor Seo recruited party members in preparation for the party primary and was nominated as the sole candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea.
The Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission reported former Mayor Seo to the prosecution in April last year, stating that from December 2021, ahead of the election, he had his staff hold local events to promote achievements.
Former Mayor Seo lost his bid for re-election by 489 votes to Kim Gil-seong, the current Jung-gu mayor who ran as the People Power Party candidate in the June 1 local elections.
The prosecution conducted a search and seizure of Jung-gu District Office and related locations on June 2, the day after the local elections last year, securing relevant materials. They also summoned officials who received instructions as witnesses for investigation and later summoned former Mayor Seo as a suspect for questioning.
While the statute of limitations for violating the Public Official Election Act is six months after the election date, the statute of limitations for crimes committed by public officials related to their duties or using their positions is ten years after the election date (or ten years from the date the crime was committed if after the election date).
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