Seoul High Court acquits Mayor Oh Se-hoon in political funds case — Korea Herald
The Seoul High Court in South Korea on Friday acquitted city Mayor Oh Se-hoon of charges of violating the Political Funds Act. Following the ruling, politicians from the liberal camp said they intended to step up efforts to reform the judicial system, The Korea Herald reports.
Democratic Party reaction
Kim Min-seok, chairman of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, said the ruling was difficult to accept both from a legal standpoint and from the perspective of common sense. According to him, it has intensified public suspicions regarding the judicial branch.
Park Sung-jun, senior spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said Oh Se-hoon's acquittal would again energize demands for judicial reform. At the same time, he did not specify what steps the party plans to take. Park also downplayed the likelihood that the ruling would immediately lead to the launch of impeachment proceedings against Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae.
The ruling party and the small liberal opposition had previously pressured the judiciary, headed by Cho Hee-dae. Among the reasons, they cited the procedure for appointing Supreme Court justices, as well as the Supreme Court's decision to remand for retrial a case involving President Lee Jae-myung a month before last year's presidential election.
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Calls for impeachment
Cho Kuk, founder and former leader of the small liberal Korea Reform Party, called Oh Se-hoon's acquittal evidence of resistance by a politicized judicial system. Earlier this week, the party submitted a proposal to impeach Cho Hee-dae and asked the Democratic Party to support it. At least 100 signatories are required to submit such a proposal to the National Assembly.
Shin Chang-sik, leader of the Korea Reform Party, claimed that the judicial system under Cho Hee-dae had generally been lenient toward conservative figures, including those involved in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's illegal declaration of martial law in 2024. He urged the liberal bloc not to delay the impeachment of Cho and the abolition of the National Court Administration.
Opposition position
The main opposition People Power Party, of which Oh Se-hoon is a member, welcomed the acquittal. Its leader, Jang Dong-hyuk, urged the special prosecutor who indicted the mayor not to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. Park Jun-kwon, the party's senior spokesperson, said the Seoul mayor would now be able to continue his work without further obstacles.
