Kim Taegyu: "Seo Youngkyo Interfered in 'Oh Sehoon Trial'... Must Resign as Judiciary Committee Chair"

Press conference by the People Power Party's Legal Advisory Committee chair
"Calling for a prison sentence from a court overseeing an agency subject to audit is intimidation"
"Withdraw the statement and apologize to the judiciary and the public"

Kim Taegyu, chair of the People Power Party's legal advisory committee, called on Seo Youngkyo, chair of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, to resign after she urged that Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon be sentenced to prison ahead of the ruling in his appeals trial on the 23rd, calling her remarks "clear interference in a trial and intimidation."

At a press conference at the National Assembly's Communication Center that day, Kim said, "Chair Seo issued a statement in the name of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee chair saying, 'Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon should be sentenced to prison,'" adding that it was "clear interference in a trial involving a court subject to parliamentary audit, as well as intimidation."

Rep. Kim Taegyu of the People Power Party questions Minister of Government Legislation Cho Woncheol during a parliamentary audit of the Ministry of Government Legislation at the National Assembly on Oct. 15, 2026. Photo by Yoon Dongju

He continued, "The Constitution provides for judges to make independent rulings, and the Act on the Inspection and Investigation of State Administration also stipulates that audit authority must not be exercised for the purpose of interfering in an ongoing trial. Chair Seo trampled on both provisions at once."

Kim also took issue with Chair Seo's rebuttal of new evidence submitted by Mayor Oh's side in the appeals trial, citing an explanation by Myung Taegyun. He criticized her, saying, "The committee chair personally judged evidence in a case still on trial and issued a statement to warn the court of that judgment. In effect, she admitted to interfering in the trial."

Kim said, "The People Power Party is certain that Mayor Oh is innocent, but we are not demanding a particular verdict from the court. We only hope the court will make a rigorous, objective, and politically impartial decision based on the law and evidence."

He added, "Chair Seo must immediately withdraw her statement and apologize to the judiciary and the public. She is no longer qualified to serve as committee chair. She should step down."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.