▲ Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon
The Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) urged Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon today (August 22)—who was sentenced to a term in the first trial that would strip him of his office for allegedly having a donor pay for Myung Tae-kyun public opinion polls on his behalf—to "stop hiding behind excuses and apologize to the citizens of Seoul."
Floor Spokesperson Lee Joo-hee said in a written briefing, "Mayor Oh argued for his innocence once again yesterday during the appellate trial for violating the Political Funds Act."
Spokesperson Lee criticized, "Mayor Oh's side dismissed the first-instance court's ruling—which recognized his guilt—as a 'vague conjecture,' and is making an all-out effort to somehow escape conviction by expanding his legal team to 16 attorneys."
She continued, pointing out, "The problem is that the administration of Seoul is standing still during that time. While urgent livelihood issues such as housing instability pile up, the mayor is wholly absorbed in framing a narrative of innocence in the courtroom."
She added, "What the 9.3 million citizens of Seoul entrusted to the mayor is not personal legal defense, but taking care of the lives of the citizens."
Spokesperson Lee stated, "Before strongly insisting on his innocence, it should come first for Mayor Oh to bow his head and sincerely apologize for the illegal political funds controversy that he brought upon himself," adding, "He must not deny facts confirmed by evidence and repeat groundless claims."
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.