Hong Nampyo, the mayor of Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam, who appealed after being convicted in the second trial for violating the Public Official Election Act, has ultimately lost his position following the Supreme Court's decision.
The Supreme Court's Third Division (presiding justice Lee Sukyeon) held the final appeal hearing at 11:15 a.m. on this day and dismissed Mayor Hong's appeal, thereby upholding the second trial's ruling, which invalidated his election.
The Supreme Court also dismissed the appeals of Mr. A, a campaign staff member who received a sentence of six months in prison suspended for one year and four months in prison suspended for one year, and Mr. B, the complainant in the case.
The Supreme Court stated, "There was no error in the lower court's judgment regarding the establishment of the crime of violating the Public Official Election Act, admissibility of evidence, or the principles of trial centrality and direct examination."
Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, Gyeongnam, expressing his feelings immediately after the second trial verdict. Photo by Lee Seryeong
Mayor Hong was indicted on charges of conspiring with Mr. A, who was then the chief campaign manager of his election camp ahead of the June 2022 local elections, to offer a public office to Mr. B, who was seeking to run in the Changwon mayoral primary for the People Power Party, in exchange for joining the campaign.
He was indicted on November 30, 2022, and after about one year and two months, was acquitted in the first trial on February 8, 2024. Following the prosecution's appeal, he was sentenced to six months in prison suspended for one year in the second trial on December 18 of the same year, about nine months later.
According to the Public Official Election Act, if an elected official is confirmed guilty of violating the Act and receives a prison sentence or a fine of 1 million won or more, their election is invalidated.
As a result of the Supreme Court's decision, Changwon city administration will now be led by the First Deputy Mayor as acting mayor until the next 9th-term local elections.
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