Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon acquitted in political funds case

The Seoul High Court on Friday acquitted Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon in Seoul of political funding charges tied to opinion polls before the 2021 mayoral by-election. The ruling overturned a lower court conviction that had imposed a 10 million won fine and ordered him to forfeit 21 million won. The court also acquitted businessman Kim Han-jung and former Deputy Mayor Kang Chul-won, while special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team said it would appeal to the Supreme Court.

The charges involved 10 polls and payments totaling 33 million won.

The appeals court said Myung Tae-kyun’s testimony was the only direct evidence on whether Oh requested the polls and knew Kim was paying, but found it inconsistent and difficult to believe.

The lower court had convicted Oh in connection with five of the 10 polls after finding parts of Myung’s testimony credible.

The Seoul High Court cited indications that Myung’s relationship with Oh’s camp had deteriorated and that he felt his contribution to Oh’s election win was not sufficiently recognized.

Oh apologized to the public for causing concern and said he would work harder to repay citizens’ trust.

Published Oct 23, 2026 2:22 pm KST

Updated Oct 23, 2026 3:52 pm KST

Appellate court questions key witness's credibility; special counsel to appeal

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon leaves the Seoul High Court in Seoul, Friday, after being acquitted of political funding charges. Newsis

An appeals court on Friday acquitted Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon of political funding charges linked to opinion polls conducted ahead of his 2021 election, overturning a local court conviction that threatened his tenure and political future.

The Seoul High Court panel, led by Judge Ku Hoi-geun, reversed a July ruling that fined Oh 10 million won ($7,500) and ordered him to forfeit 21 million won — a sentence that would have cost him his mayoral post had it become final.

The case centered on allegations that Oh commissioned opinion polls from political broker Myung Tae-kyun ahead of the 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election and had his supporter, a businessman named Kim Han-jung, pay for them. The charges involved 10 polls and payments totaling 33 million won.

The central dispute was whether Oh had requested the polls and knew that Kim was paying for them.

“Myung’s testimony is the only direct evidence on the central issue in this case, but it is inconsistent overall and conflicts with objective circumstances on numerous points, making it difficult to believe,” the judge said. “It is difficult to conclude that sufficient grounds have been provided to credit only certain parts of his testimony, or that other evidence has been presented to corroborate it.”

The lower court earlier found parts of Myung’s testimony credible and convicted the mayor in connection with five of the 10 polls.

“It has not been proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Oh commissioned specific opinion polls from Myung and intended to pay for them, as alleged in the charges,” Ku said, adding that any remaining doubt must be resolved in the defendant’s favor, even if inconsistencies or unexplained circumstances raise suspicions of guilt.

“This is a long-established, fundamental principle of criminal law intended to ensure that no one is unjustly punished through investigation and prosecution,” the judge added.

In questioning Myung’s credibility, the court cited indications that his relationship with Oh’s camp had deteriorated and that he felt his contribution to Oh’s election win had not been sufficiently recognized.

The court also acquitted Kim and former Deputy Mayor Kang Chul-won, who were indicted alongside Oh for involvement in the poll requests.

Oh smiled as the court announced his acquittal. He left the courtroom with reddened eyes and shook hands with supporters waiting in the hallway, thanking them individually.

Speaking to reporters after the ruling, Oh apologized for causing concern to the public over the case, saying he should have exercised greater caution in public office.

“I sincerely thank the citizens of Seoul for believing in my innocence and voting to allow me to serve as mayor again, even as the trial was underway,” Oh said. “I will work even harder to repay their trust.”

The Seoul Metropolitan Government also issued a statement pledging to press ahead with Oh’s key policies for his new term.

Special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team expressed disappointment with the decision and said it would appeal to the Supreme Court to seek its reversal.

Earlier this month, former President Yoon Suk Yeol was also acquitted of charges of receiving free opinion polls from Myung ahead of the 2022 presidential election. The Seoul High Court overturned a lower court ruling that found him guilty of violating the Political Funds Act, saying the free polls could not be seen as political donations.

首尔高等法院周五宣判首尔市长吴世勋无罪，此前他被控在2021年市长补选前进行民意调查，涉嫌政治资金操纵选举。该判决推翻了下级法院对其处以1000万韩元罚款并没收2100万韩元的判决。法院同时宣判商人金汉正和前副市长姜哲元无罪，而特别检察官闵仲基的团队表示将向最高法院提起上诉。

指控涉及 10 项选举和总计 3300 万韩元的款项。

上诉法院表示，明泰均的证词是唯一直接证明吴某是否要求进行民意调查以及是否知道金某付钱的证据，但认为该证词前后矛盾，难以令人信服。

下级法院认定 Myung 的部分证词可信，因此判 Oh 与 10 次民调中的 5 次有关罪名成立。

首尔高等法院援引迹象表明，明与吴阵营的关系已经恶化，而且他觉得自己对吴的选举胜利所作出的贡献没有得到充分认可。

吴先生就此事引起公众担忧表示歉意，并表示将更加努力工作以回报市民的信任。

发布于2026年10月23日下午2:22（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月23日下午3:52（韩国标准时间）

上诉法院质疑关键证人的可信度；特别律师将提起上诉

首尔市长吴世勋周五在首尔高等法院被判无罪后离开，他此前被控政治献金。

周五，上诉法院推翻了地方法院的判决，宣告首尔市长吴世勋无罪，此前他被控在2021年选举前进行民意调查，涉嫌政治资金洗钱。地方法院的判决威胁到他的任期和政治前途。

首尔高等法院法官具会根领导的合议庭推翻了7月份的一项裁决，该裁决对吴某处以1000万韩元（7500美元）的罚款，并命令他没收2100万韩元——如果该判决最终生效，他将失去市长职位。

此案的核心指控是，吴某在2021年首尔市长补选前委托政治掮客明泰均进行民意调查，并让其支持者、商人金汉正支付费用。指控涉及10项民意调查，总金额达3300万韩元。

争议的焦点在于吴是否要求进行民意调查，以及他是否知道金正恩在为此付费。

法官表示：“明某的证词是本案核心问题的唯一直接证据，但其内容整体前后矛盾，且在诸多方面与客观事实相悖，令人难以信服。因此，很难断定已提供充分理由仅采信其证词的某些部分，或者已提出其他证据来佐证其证词。”

下级法院此前认定明某的部分证词可信，并判处该市长与 10 次选举中的 5 次有关。

“尚未有确凿证据表明吴某如指控中所述，委托明某进行特定的民意调查并打算为此付费，”顾先生说，并补充道，即使存在不一致或无法解释的情况，引发了人们对被告有罪的怀疑，任何剩余的疑虑都必须有利于被告。

法官补充说：“这是刑法中一项由来已久的基本原则，旨在确保任何人不会因调查和起诉而受到不公正的惩罚。”

法院质疑明的可信度，并指出有迹象表明他与吴阵营的关系已经恶化，而且他觉得自己对吴的选举胜利所作出的贡献没有得到充分认可。

法院还宣判金某和前副市长姜哲元无罪，他们与吴某一起因参与选举舞弊而被起诉。

当法庭宣布他无罪释放时，吴先生露出了笑容。他离开法庭时双眼通红，与等候在走廊里的支持者们一一握手，并向他们表示感谢。

判决后，吴某在接受记者采访时表示，他为这起案件引起公众担忧而道歉，并表示自己在公职中应该更加谨慎。

“我衷心感谢首尔市民相信我的清白，并在审判期间仍然投票让我再次担任市长，”吴钊燮说。“我将更加努力工作，以回报他们的信任。”

首尔市政府也发表声明，承诺在吴清秀的新任期内继续推行其关键政策。

特别检察官闵仲基的团队对这一决定表示失望，并表示将向最高法院提起上诉，寻求推翻该决定。

本月初，前总统尹锡烈也被判无罪，此前他被指控在2022年总统大选前接受明志强提供的免费民意调查。首尔高等法院推翻了下级法院认定他违反《政治资金法》的判决，称这些免费民意调查不能被视为政治捐款。