Democratic Party on Oh Sehoon's Appeal Acquittal: "Ruling Defies Common Sense... Must Appeal Immediately"

Oh Se-hoon acquitted in second trial on Political Funds Act charges
Democratic Party: "Is this a court, or an acquittal vending machine?"
Han Byeong-do: "Special counsel must correct the misinterpretation of the law"

The Democratic Party of Korea described the acquittal of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon in his appeal trial on the 23rd as “a ruling that defies common sense.”

In a statement that day, Park Seongjun, the party’s chief spokesperson, said, “The court dismissed the entire allegation of payments made on his behalf, saying it was difficult to believe Myung Taegyun’s testimony,” adding, “The appeals court shielded as legitimate money that the trial court had found to be illegal political funds.”

That day, the Seoul High Court acquitted Mayor Oh, who had been indicted on charges of violating the Political Funds Act. The trial court had previously sentenced him to a fine of 10 million won and ordered him to pay an additional 21 million won in confiscation, penalties that could have cost him his mayoral office. But the appeals court overturned the guilty verdict, saying it was difficult to accept Myung Taegyun’s testimony, a key piece of evidence, at face value.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon listens to the verdict at an appellate sentencing hearing on charges of violating the Political Funds Act at the Seoul High Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the 23rd. Seoul High Court

“Earlier this month, the appeals court also acquitted Yoon Seokyeol in the ‘Myung Taegyun opinion poll’ case,” Park said. “Is this a court of law, or an ‘acquittal vending machine’ that churns out not-guilty verdicts?”

Han Byeongdo, the party’s floor leader, wrote on social media that day, “This ruling does not accord with the public’s common sense or expectations,” adding, “I regret the appeals court’s decision to overturn the guilty verdict.”

“The appeals court overturned all established legal principles and issued an acquittal by accepting only the one-sided claims of Mayor Oh’s side,” Han said. “The special counsel must immediately appeal to the Supreme Court to correct the appeals court’s misinterpretation of the law.”

Democratic Party lawmaker Park Joomin criticized the ruling, saying, “Common sense? This is truly laughable,” and “I strongly condemn the appeals court’s acquittal of Seoul Mayor Oh. The more I hear the reasons for the ruling, the less I can accept it.”

“The special counsel must thoroughly challenge the court’s assessment of the evidence and application of the law in this ruling,” Park said. “I also urge the Supreme Court to rigorously examine whether the appeals court’s reasoning based on experience and its assessment of the evidence are sound.”

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