The prosecution has requested a one-year prison sentence for Oh Tae-wan, the mayor of Uiryeong County, Gyeongnam, who has been indicted on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act.
On the 17th, at the Changwon District Court Masan Branch Criminal Division 1 (Chief Judge Kang Ji-woong), during the sentencing hearing, the prosecution asked the court to impose this sentence on Mayor Oh.
The court plans to hold a hearing and deliver the verdict on February 14.
According to the court, Mayor Oh is accused of giving 9 million won in four installments to Special Public Relations Advisor A from March 15 to May 3, 2022, ahead of the nationwide local elections, and having him send about 110,000 text messages influencing the election by May 31 of that year.
O Tae-wan, the governor of Uiryeong County, Gyeongnam, is on his way to attend the first trial related to allegations of violating the Public Official Election Act. [Photo by Lee Se-ryeong]
On that day, Mayor Oh’s defense attorney stated, “Mayor Oh never provided money to Mr. A for sending text messages,” and added, “Mr. A was recently punished for fraudulently using a card he received from a secretary by pretending to have Mayor Oh’s permission.”
He continued, “It is unreasonable to allow the use of a salary account card for election text message expenses,” and “We only learned during the police investigation that money was withdrawn from the salary account,” repeatedly asserting innocence.
In his final statement, Mayor Oh said, “I have always prided myself on conducting a clean election, but I am sorry to the residents for being tried for violating the election law.”
He is also on trial for allegedly forcibly molesting a female reporter at a press conference held at a restaurant in Uiryeong County in 2021.
On February 10, he was sentenced to six months in prison with a two-year probation in the first trial but appealed the decision.
The prosecution requested an increased sentence of eight months in prison at the appellate trial.
The appellate verdict is scheduled for February 15, the day after the verdict on the election law violation charges.
If Mayor Oh is sentenced to a fine of 1 million won or more, or imprisonment for the election law violation charge, or if he receives a prison sentence or higher in a criminal case and it becomes final, he will be removed from his position as mayor.
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