[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The Public Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Lee Sang-hyun) indicted former Seoul Jung-gu Mayor Seo Yang-ho on the 31st for illegally recruiting thousands of party members to secure re-election, violating the Public Official Election Act and the Local Public Officials Act. Seo's former chief secretary and policy advisor, who were deeply involved in the crime, were also indicted and detained. Six other involved public officials were prosecuted without detention.
According to the prosecution, former Mayor Seo is accused of mobilizing about 100 Jung-gu office employees from March to August 2021 to recruit approximately 2,300 party members and conduct illegal primary election campaigns within the Democratic Party. He is also suspected of collecting information on tens of thousands of voters, including the recruited party members, to use in the election.
Former Mayor Seo was nominated as the sole Democratic Party candidate ahead of the June 1 local elections last year but lost the general election by 489 votes to Kim Gil-sung of the People Power Party, failing to secure a second term.
The Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission reported former Mayor Seo to the prosecution in April last year for violating the Public Official Election Act. The prosecution immediately began investigations the day after the local elections by conducting a search and seizure of the mayor's office and other locations.
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