[Anchor]

Just a day after being acquitted in an appellate court yesterday (October 23), Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has embarked on aggressive public outreach. He also voiced an intention to bring together the divided conservative bloc. The Democratic Party criticized the ruling, warning that "the purpose of the Political Funds Act will be neutralized by this verdict."

Reporter Kim Bo-mi reports.

[Reporter]

Mayor Oh, a member of the People Power Party, attended a series of events across the capital today on his weekend off, just a day after being acquitted in an appellate trial over allegations of proxy payment for opinion polls. The events included "Gukhaeng Suryukjae," a Buddhist ritual held at Jingwansa Temple in Seoul, and a memorial ceremony marking the fourth anniversary of the Itaewon disaster.

While stating that he would concentrate on city administration, he began by saying "the general election is drawing near" and made remarks suggesting a resolve to serve as a pivotal center for the conservative opposition.

[Oh Se-hoon / Seoul Mayor: "I will do my utmost to ensure that a united People Power Party brings comfort to the public and allows those with slightly differing philosophies to come together."]

Targeting the Lee Jae-myung administration's real estate policies, he sharpened his rhetoric, saying, "Even when we propose a shift in direction, the government turns a deaf ear."

Regarding Mayor Oh's appellate acquittal, the People Power Party demanded, "The special counsel team, which acted as henchmen for the Democratic Party and recklessly launched unreasonable indictments, must bow their heads and apologize to the public."

On the other hand, the Democratic Party took issue with a string of acquittals for individuals linked to the "Myung Tae-kyun gate," ramping up pressure on the judiciary by stating, "The purpose of the current Political Funds Act is being neutralized, leaving no way to punish such actions in the future."

Regarding moves to impeach Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, an issue on which hardline and cautious voices clash within the pan-ruling camp, Democratic Party Leader Kim Min-seok is placing weight on "conducting a parliamentary investigation first, followed by reviewing impeachment."

[Kim Min-seok / Democratic Party Leader: "Regarding the matter concerning Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, we will proceed step by step as originally planned, including a parliamentary investigation."]

Addressing a sense of relief emerging in some quarters of the Democratic Party over yesterday's ruling, which lowered the possibility of a Seoul mayoral by-election next year, Cho Kuk, head of the Rebuilding Korea Party's Innovation Policy Research Institute, posted a photo of DP Leader Kim Min-seok on social media, claiming, "If you feel relieved that the fight has been postponed because momentum was lost, you will lose the next fight."

Video by Kim Yong-woo | Video Editing by Park Seon-soo | Graphics by Yang Gi-tae