Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is acquitted by an appeals court in a political funds case tied to opinion polls conducted ahead of the 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election. The Seoul High Court overturns a July conviction that had fined him 10 million won and ordered forfeiture of 21 million won, a penalty that could have cost him his mayorship under South Korea’s Political Funds Act.
Court documents and reporting describe the allegations as stemming from opinion polls provided on 10 occasions, with prosecutors saying a political supporter covered costs totaling 33 million won to a broker, identified as Myung Tae-kyun. The central dispute is whether Oh requested the polls and knew his supporter was paying for them. Multiple outlets report the judges question the credibility of the broker’s testimony and rule in Oh’s favor.
Korea Times coverage also adds the political reaction, noting the main opposition People Power Party welcomes the acquittal and frames it as allowing the city administration to continue without disruption. Yonhap’s reporting concentrates on the court decision and procedural stakes leading up to it.
