Mayor Oh Suspected of Violating Political Funds Act
Kim Hanjung Allegedly Paid 33 Million Won for Polling Costs, Opinion Manipulation Suspected
Seoul City: "We Hope Distortions Will Be Corrected"
The prosecution, which is investigating allegations of nomination interference and opinion poll manipulation involving political broker Myung Taegyun, summoned and questioned Seoul Mayor Oh Sehun for 12 hours. The questioning of Mayor Oh took place privately on Sunday, a weekend.
Seoul Mayor Oh Sehun is attending the '100 Days of Deregulation Achievement Report Meeting' held at Seoul City Hall on the 7th and delivering a greeting. 2025.05.07 Photo by Yoon Dongju
According to legal sources and the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 26th, the special investigation team at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in charge of the Myung Taegyun case (led by Deputy Chief Prosecutor Lee Jihyung) summoned Mayor Oh as a suspect on charges including violations of the Political Funds Act, and questioned him for approximately 12 hours from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. the previous day.
Lee Jonghyun, Special Advisor for Public Affairs Communication for the Seoul Metropolitan Government, stated in a press release, "Mayor Oh appeared at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on the 25th and cooperated with the investigation regarding the Myung Taegyun case," adding, "We hope that this investigation will serve as an opportunity to correct falsehoods, exaggerations, and distortions."
Mayor Oh is suspected of being involved in a case where Kim Hanjung, known as a long-time supporter, allegedly paid 33 million won on behalf of the Mirae Korea Research Institute, an opinion polling agency effectively run by Myung, to conduct 13 unpublished opinion polls during the April 7, 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election.
Regarding this, Myung has claimed that he played a role in Mayor Oh's election victory and met with Mayor Oh seven times. He also asserted that during the election, Mayor Oh said, "Please save me," and "We need a poll that can beat Na Kyungwon." Kang Hyekyung, former deputy director of the Mirae Korea Research Institute, also testified to the prosecution that, under Myung's instructions, she drafted survey questions favorable to Mayor Oh and shared the report with the head of the Yeouido Institute, the think tank of the People Power Party.
Mayor Oh's side denies all related allegations. They stated that although Mayor Oh met Myung twice in January 2021 through an introduction by former lawmaker Kim Youngsun, he cut off contact after confirming Myung's polling methods, considering him not worth dealing with. They also claimed that Mayor Oh never received any poll results and that the alleged "position promise" between Myung and former lawmaker Kim, as asserted by Myung, is false.
On March 20, the prosecution searched Mayor Oh's office and official residence at Seoul City Hall, and has been investigating Kang Chulwon, former Deputy Mayor for Political Affairs, Park Changu, Special Advisor for Political Affairs, Kim Byungmin, Deputy Mayor for Political Affairs, as well as former lawmaker Kim and Kang Hyekyung. It is also known that on the 24th, the prosecution questioned former Deputy Mayor Kang and Kim. Former Deputy Mayor Kang has been identified as a bridge between Mayor Oh and Myung, communicating with Myung regarding the opinion polls.
Meanwhile, the prosecution is also looking into allegations that former President Yoon Sukyeol and his wife Kim Keonhee intervened in the 2022 parliamentary by-election nominations at Myung's request. On the 14th, the prosecution formally sent a request to Kim Keonhee to appear for questioning, but her side submitted a letter of non-attendance, citing concerns that it could affect the early presidential election.
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