"Justice will prevail": Oh Sehoon raises clenched fist with a broad smile as aides hold welcome event after acquittal

"Uphold Justice": A "Lady Justice" Statue Was Also Presented as a Gift

The Seoul mayor's office reportedly held a welcome event for Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who was acquitted on appeal of violating the Political Funds Act.

A staff member wearing a traditional dopo robe and gat unfurled a scroll bearing the words, "Justice will prevail." Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon stood beside them, smiling broadly and raising one fist. JTBC

According to a JTBC report on the 24th, when Oh returned to Seoul City Hall the previous day after being acquitted, staff in the mayor's office held a welcome event they had prepared in advance. The report said one staff member greeted Oh wearing a traditional dopo robe and gat. The staff member also unfurled a scroll bearing the words, "Justice will prevail." Oh stood beside the employee, smiling broadly and raising one fist.

The staff also prepared a statue of Lady Justice, a symbol of law and justice. The statue bore the inscription, "Uphold justice even if the heavens fall," along with the words, "Oh Se-hoon, 33rd, 34th, 38th, 39th and 40th Mayor of Seoul." Photos also showed Oh personally unveiling the statue by removing a red cloth. The photos of the welcome event were reportedly circulated among Seoul City Hall employees.

The Statue of Lady Justice prepared by Seoul City Hall employees for Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon. JTBC

The Seoul High Court's Criminal Division 7, presided over by Judge Koo Hoe-geun, acquitted Oh on the 23rd of charges of violating the Political Funds Act. At the first trial, Oh had been sentenced to a fine of 10 million won and an additional collection of 21 million won. The appellate court found that the allegations had not been sufficiently proven: that Oh received the results of opinion polls from Myeong Tae-gyun a total of 10 times ahead of the April 7, 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election, and had a businessman surnamed Kim, known as a longtime supporter, pay 33 million won in expenses on his behalf.

The court found that Myeong's testimony was the only direct evidence on the central issue in the case and that it was difficult to accept his account at face value. It noted that much of Myeong's testimony conflicted with objective circumstances and statements from others involved. The court also cited as grounds for finding his testimony unreliable that Myeong appeared to have fallen out with Oh's camp after February 2021 and seemed to have felt aggrieved because he believed his contribution had not been recognized after Oh was elected.

The first-trial court had also said it was difficult to find Myeong's testimony credible. However, considering the other evidence, including KakaoTalk conversations, media reports and the sharing of opinion poll results at the time, it found some parts of his account credible.

The court explained, "When the prosecution's evidence is not sufficient to establish conviction, the decision must ultimately favor the defendant, even if some of the defendant's claims or explanations are questionable and raise suspicions of guilt." It added, "This is a longstanding fundamental principle of criminal law, intended to ensure that no one is unjustly punished through investigation and prosecution."

The special prosecutor's office said it would appeal the appellate court's ruling to the Supreme Court. After the verdict, Myeong also wrote on Facebook, "I respect the judiciary's ruling," while adding, "However, the facts are different from what the ruling says."

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