‘Election Law Violation’ Park Jong-woo, Mayor of Geoje, Confirmed with Election Nullification Sentence

Park Jong-woo, mayor of Geoje, Gyeongnam, who was prosecuted for illegally providing money and goods during the election process, has been confirmed to receive a sentence that nullifies his election. As a result, Mayor Park has lost his mayoral position.

Park Jong-woo, Mayor of Geoje. Photo by Yonhap News

The Supreme Court's 3rd Division (Presiding Justice Lee Heung-gu) on the 14th dismissed Mayor Park's appeal in the final trial for violating the Public Official Election Act, confirming the lower court's ruling of 4 months imprisonment with a 2-year suspended sentence.

The court ruled, "There is no error affecting the judgment such as violating the rules of logic and experience in the guilty verdict of the lower court, exceeding the limits of free evaluation of evidence, misunderstanding the establishment of the crime of violating the Public Official Election Act, the credibility of statements, or the admissibility of evidence."

If an elected public official is sentenced to a fine of 1 million won or more for violating the Public Official Election Act related to the election in which they were elected, their election is nullified and they lose their position.

Mayor Park was indicted on charges of conspiring to provide 13 million won in three installments from July to September 2021, before the local elections, to A, who was a member of his SNS promotion team, and having A deliver the money to B, an employee of National Assembly member Seo Il-jun's office.

In the first trial, only the charge of conspiring with A to pay 3 million won to B in July 2021 was recognized as guilty, and Park was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment with a 2-year suspended sentence.

In the second trial, the amount paid was recognized as only 2 million won, and the sentence was reduced to 4 months imprisonment with a 2-year suspended sentence.

Mayor Park appealed, but the Supreme Court found no problem with the second trial's judgment and dismissed the appeal on this day.