The first trial verdict for Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, Gyeongnam, on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act is scheduled, and the prosecution has requested the resumption of arguments.
According to the legal community on the 16th, the prosecution submitted a request for resumption of arguments to the presiding court on the 15th.
It is analyzed that this is to have the evidentiary validity of the statement of facts related to the case, submitted by Jang Donghwa, Director of the Changwon Industrial Promotion Agency, on the 10th, recognized.
Jang, who ran as a candidate for Changwon mayor in last year's nationwide local elections, was selected as a witness related to the case during the trial but refused to appear.
Subsequently, on the 9th, he submitted a resignation letter claiming that Changwon City unfairly interfered with the operation of the Changwon Industrial Promotion Agency, and the next day submitted the statement of facts.
The statement submitted by Director Jang reportedly contains content indicating that Mr. A, who claimed to have been promised a public office by Mayor Hong to join the election camp, was at that time a "person intending to become a candidate."
The city refuted the claim of unfair interference in the operation of the Promotion Agency. The acceptance or rejection of Director Jang's resignation letter will be decided after Mayor Hong, the appointing authority, returns from his business trip to the U.S. Consumer Electronics Show (CES).
Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, Gyeongnam, is heading to the courtroom at Changwon District Court for his final statement before sentencing. [Photo by Lee Seryeong]
The accuser in the case, Mr. A's side, claims that Mr. A intended to run in last year's local elections but was offered and promised a public office on the condition of joining Mayor Hong's camp by Mayor Hong and Mr. B, the head of the camp's general election headquarters, which was not fulfilled.
Mayor Hong's side counters that Mr. A was not a "person intending to become a candidate," that Mayor Hong did not promise a position to anyone, and that he never instructed a third party to offer a public office to others nor tolerated a third party's promise of public office.
Mr. B's side responded that Mr. A did not even disclose his intention to run to close acquaintances, ceased broadcasting appearances 90 days before the election, did not recruit responsible party members, nor engaged in any personal promotion, so it was impossible to know whether he was a "person intending to become a candidate."
They also stated that after Mayor Hong was elected, Mr. B vaguely thought that if he recommended Mr. A, he might get a special advisor position, and thus promised Mr. A a special advisor position.
At the sentencing trial, the prosecution requested the court to sentence Mayor Hong to 8 months in prison, Mr. A to 4 months, and Mr. B to 8 months.
Earlier, the court announced that it would deliver the first trial verdict before the mid-February court personnel reshuffle.
This case trial began with the prosecution's indictment in November 2022, with the first trial held in January last year, and has been ongoing since then.
As the trial has been prolonged and the court has expressed its intention to deliver the verdict before the personnel reshuffle, attention is focused on whether the request for resumption of arguments will be accepted.
The first trial verdict is scheduled for February 6.
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