Supreme Court to Rule on the 27th
Attention Focused on Possibility of By-Elections or Re-Elections
The Supreme Court's First Division has scheduled the sentencing hearing for the appeal case regarding violation of the Public Official Election Act by the wife of Park Hongryul, Mayor of Mokpo, Jeonnam, for 10:10 a.m. on the 27th.
Ms. A was indicted on charges of instructing an accomplice to demand money in order to induce the annulment of the election of former Mokpo Mayor Kim Jongsik. She was acquitted in the first trial, but found guilty on appeal and sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison, suspended for a probation period. If the Supreme Court upholds a prison sentence or a fine of 3 million won or more, Park Hongryul's election as mayor could also be annulled.
Park Woorang, County Governor of Shinan, Jeonnam, also faces a Supreme Court ruling on the 27th in a case where he was sentenced to removal from office for charges related to the hiring of temporary public officials. Park was sentenced to 1 year in prison in the first trial, and 8 months in prison suspended for 2 years on appeal, and has filed an appeal. Although this is not a violation of the Public Official Election Act, he will lose his position if he receives a sentence of imprisonment or higher for a criminal offense.
Meanwhile, even if the Mokpo mayor and Shinan county governor receive unfavorable rulings in the Supreme Court, whether a by-election or re-election will be held in the latter half of the year remains unclear due to a provision in the Public Official Election Act stating that by-elections may not be held if less than one year remains in the term. As a result, there are concerns that a prolonged vacancy could occur until the nationwide local elections next year.
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