Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon (Im Se-jun/The Korea Herald)
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon (Im Se-jun/The Korea Herald)

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon was indicted without detention Monday on charges of violating the Political Funds Act, as special prosecutor Min Joong-ki’s team investigates allegations linked to former first lady Kim Keon Hee and illicit polling support ahead of Oh’s 2021 mayoral run.

Oh is accused of asking a supporter to cover the costs of opinion polls that could influence the outcome of the People Power Party’s internal contest for the Seoul mayoral candidacy.

The polls were conducted by pollster Myung Tae-kyun, who is separately under investigation for the manipulation of polling results.

Oh ultimately won the Seoul mayoral by-election in April 2021, which was called after the death of former Mayor Park Won-soon.

According to the investigation, businessperson Kim Han-jung, a supporter of Oh, paid 33 million won ($22,400 currently) to Myung’s polling firm for 10 unpublished polls conducted in January and February 2021 at Oh’s request.

In addition to Oh, both Kim and Kang Cheol-won, the former deputy mayor of Seoul and Oh’s chief secretary during the election, were indicted without detention.

Investigators say Kang coordinated details of the polls with Myung on Oh’s behalf. Myung has asserted that he met Oh seven times in person to discuss the results, though both Oh and Kim deny that Oh had any direct dealings with the pollster.


forestjs@heraldcorp.com