The trial regarding the alleged violation of the Public Official Election Act by Hong Nam-pyo, the Mayor of Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam, ended on the afternoon of the 16th without proceeding due to the absence of witnesses.
The Changwon Division of the Busan High Court attempted to continue the witness examination in the afternoon following the morning session, but was unable to do so as most of the witnesses failed to appear.
The court summoned a total of eight people, including three witnesses who were absent at the previous hearing and one who is also a defendant, to the hearing scheduled for August.
During the morning session, except for one defendant, one person who submitted a statement of absence due to health reasons, and one who appeared, the remaining witnesses did not attend.
The court decided to withdraw the 2 million won fine that was to be imposed on the absent witnesses in the morning, stating that the witnesses may have interpreted that they only needed to appear at one of the three hearings scheduled for this month.
Previously, Mayor Hong was brought to trial on charges of conspiring with Mr. A, who was the chief of the election campaign during last year's nationwide local elections, to offer a public office to Mr. B, who intended to run in the People Power Party's Changwon mayoral primary, in exchange for joining the campaign.
Mr. A was indicted on charges of conspiring with Mayor Hong to propose a public office to Mr. B, who intended to run as a preliminary candidate, in exchange for joining the campaign.
Mr. B, who reported the two, is also on trial for accepting the offer of a public office after hearing the proposal to join Mayor Hong's election campaign from Mr. A.
The court of first instance acquitted Mayor Hong, sentenced Mr. A to six months in prison, and Mr. B to four months in prison with a one-year suspension.
The appellate court conducted witness examinations in the morning and plans to continue examining witnesses who appear at the next hearing.
The next hearing will be held at 10 a.m. on the 23rd in the same courtroom.
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