Following Song Cheol-ho and Hwang Un-ha, the prosecution also appeals... 'Ulsan Mayor Election Interference' moves to 2nd trial

The prosecution has appealed the first trial verdict in the 'Ulsan mayoral election interference suspicion' case, in which former Ulsan Mayor Song Cheol-ho and Democratic Party lawmaker Hwang Un-ha were each sentenced to three years in prison, arguing that the sentences were too lenient.

Prosecutor's Office Flag in front of Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office

The Public Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Jeong Won-du) announced on the 5th, "We have filed appeals against all 15 defendants in the Ulsan mayoral election interference case."

The prosecution explained, "Regarding the guilty verdicts against 12 defendants, we judged that the sentences were too light considering the seriousness of the case, as they used their official positions as public officials to interfere in the election and distort the results."

They also stated, "We believe that the first trial's acquittals on the 'support for public hospital pledges' and 'candidate bribery' parts are inconsistent with objective legal principles."

Earlier, former Mayor Song submitted an appeal on the 1st, and lawmaker Hwang filed an appeal on the 30th of last month. Accordingly, this case, which has been ongoing for nearly four years in the first trial, is expected to see another intense courtroom battle in the appellate trial.

The prosecution said, "We will do our best to maintain the indictment in the appellate trial so that appropriate punishment is imposed for this serious crime, which involved the private use of public authority and organized election interference to distort voters' choices and decisions."

The Ulsan mayoral election interference case involves allegations that before the 2018 local elections, the Blue House systematically intervened to help former Mayor Song, known as a longtime friend of former President Moon, win the election.

The Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 21-3 (Presiding Judges Kim Mi-kyung, Heo Kyung-moo, Kim Jeong-gon) sentenced former Mayor Song to three years in prison on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act on the 29th. Lawmaker Hwang, accused of conducting a 'directed investigation,' was sentenced to a total of three years in prison: two years and six months for violating the Public Official Election Act and six months for abuse of authority and obstruction of rights.

Former Ulsan City Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs Song Byung-gi was sentenced to three years in prison; former Blue House Civil Affairs Secretary Baek Won-woo received two years; former Anti-Corruption Secretary Park Hyung-cheol was sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year probation; and former Civil Affairs Secretary Office Administrator Moon Mo was sentenced to ten months in prison with a two-year probation.

Democratic Party lawmaker Han Byung-do, accused of urging Song's rival candidate to withdraw from the primary, and former Blue House Social Policy Secretary Lee Jin-seok and former Senior Administrator of the Balanced Development Secretary Office Jang Hwan-seok, accused of election interference related to the industrial accident mother hospital project, were acquitted.