'Hwang Unha Sentenced to Prison in First Trial: "Carrying the Cross on a Thorny Path"... Ruling Party Calls It "Blasphemy"'

Rep. Hwang's Parable of Jesus After Sentencing... "I Will Survive"
People Power Party Criticizes as "Criminal Playing Saint"

Democratic Party lawmaker Hwang Unha, who was sentenced to prison in the first trial for his involvement in the Ulsan mayoral election interference case, compared his situation to Jesus. In response, the People Power Party criticized him, calling it a "blasphemous saint cosplay."

The Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 21-3 (Presiding Judges Kim Mi-kyung, Heo Kyung-moo, Kim Jeong-gon) on the 29th of last month sentenced 12 out of 15 defendants guilty in the first trial of the Ulsan mayoral election interference and directed investigation case.

The court explained, "The act of election interference, which involved privately using the public functions of the police organization and the Presidential Secretariat for their political interests to influence the exercise of voting rights, carries very heavy culpability."

The core of the case is the allegation that during the 2018 local elections, the Blue House systematically conducted directed investigations against close aides of then-Ulsan Mayor Kim Gi-hyeon (current People Power Party leader) to help Song Cheol-ho, a friend of former President Moon Jae-in and former Ulsan mayor, win the election.

Among them, Representative Hwang, who was sentenced to three years in prison for violating the Public Official Election Act, stated on his Facebook on the 2nd, "Choosing to fight against prosecutorial power in a country ruled by prosecutors means preparing for an unbearably harsh path of suffering."

Hwang Unha, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the sentencing trial for the 'Cheongwadae Ordered Investigation and Election Interference Allegations' held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 29th of last month.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

He continued, "It is like wearing a crown of thorns, being whipped, carrying a cross, and walking a path of thorns," adding, "However, it will not go according to their will, and I will definitely survive."

In another post on the same day, he said, "We look at this with a long breath and believe in the victory of justice and truth." Representative Hwang added, "Even looking at history, there are many cases where convictions confirmed by the Supreme Court were later revealed to be misjudgments and changed to acquittals through retrials. If the Supreme Court can err, there is no doubt about the possibility of misjudgment in the first trial."

In response, the People Power Party strongly condemned Hwang's claims. Spokesperson Jeong Gwang-jae said in a statement on the 3rd, "Representative Hwang, who was sentenced to lose his seat due to the Ulsan mayoral election manipulation case, showed the height of shamelessness by comparing himself to Jesus," adding, "A criminal cosplaying the sacrifice of a saint itself is blasphemy."

He continued, "Whether he returns alive or not depends not on himself but on the judgment of the law and the people," and criticized, "Are you not ashamed of the National Assembly badge you gained as a result of illegally interfering in the election and violating the Constitution?"

Spokesperson Jeong also continued his criticism of former President Moon and the Blue House officials at the time. He said, "Former President Moon Jae-in remained silent about the election manipulation carried out during his administration but posted promotional posts for his book on social media, saying, 'I dream of true blessings and longevity for our society,'" adding, "The hearts of the people reading his words are only devastated."

He urged, "There are about 40 members within the Democratic Party who are either indicted or under investigation for election interference, money envelope scandals at party conventions, illegal political funds, illegal land transactions, and various personal corruptions," and added, "I hope that in next year's general election, they can be honest and dignified before the people."