Oh Se-hoon acquitted on appeal, clearing path for key Seoul policies

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon was acquitted Friday on appeal in a case brought by the Kim Keon Hee special prosecutor's office over allegations that a third party paid polling costs on his behalf. The ruling overturns a first-instance conviction that would have stripped him of his mayoral seat, securing the continuity of his ninth elected-term administration and giving fresh momentum to signature policies including the Han River ferry service and a nighttime economy initiative. The acquittal also strengthens his standing as a leading opposition presidential contender.

The seventh criminal division of the Seoul High Court handed down the not-guilty verdict Friday afternoon in the political funds law violation case. Oh had been fined 10 million won ($7,550) at trial — an amount that, under the law, would have cost him his seat — but the appeals court reversed that outcome. The panel said it found it difficult to credit the testimony of Myung Tae-kyun, the sole direct witness, and that the remaining fragmentary evidence was insufficient to establish the charges. "The part found guilty by the first-instance court cannot be upheld as it stands," the court said.

Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom after the verdict, Oh said he was grateful to Seoul citizens who had voted for him to continue as mayor despite the cloud of the ongoing trial. "I ran an election while the trial was under way," he said. "I sincerely thank the people of Seoul who believed in my innocence and cast their votes so that Oh Se-hoon could serve as mayor again." He added that the public's sustained trust and encouragement had carried him through the proceedings.

Oh was indicted on charges of commissioning political broker Myung Tae-kyun to conduct 10 opinion polls during the 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election and arranging for a donor identified as Kim Han-jeong to cover the 33 million won cost. The first-instance court in July sentenced him to a 10 million won fine and ordered the forfeiture of 21 million won. Under the law, a fine of 1 million won or more, once final, would have disqualified him from the mayoral post and barred him from public office for five years — effectively ruling out a run in the next presidential election.

The acquittal is expected to give new impetus to Oh's key ninth-term policies. These include the Han River ferry service, which launched last year and had logged more than 700,000 cumulative passengers as of Oct. 7; a nighttime economy revitalization drive; and a suite of quality-of-life measures centered on supporting vulnerable residents and young people. Seoul Metropolitan Government spokesperson Ho Jun-seok issued a statement after the verdict saying the city would "push forward more vigorously" with Mayor Oh's ninth-term priorities — including making Seoul a "quality-of-life special city," eliminating loneliness, supporting the vulnerable and expanding youth support programs.

Attention now turns to Oh's next steps. The acquittal substantially reduces the legal risk that had shadowed his administration since the first-instance ruling, creating conditions for him to focus on next year's budget and key projects. The immediate test, however, will come as early as next month, when the Seoul Metropolitan Council begins its annual administrative audit followed by deliberations on the city's budget proposal. With the Democratic Party of Korea holding a majority on the council, clashes are expected over major policies including the Han River ferry, housing supply and urban development. Of particular note is Oh's "G3 Seoul Plan," an 86.1 trillion won initiative that requires securing 32.4 trillion won in national government funds and private investment on top of 53.7 trillion won in city funds. Finalizing implementation plans for 100 priority tasks by year-end is another pressing item. Ultimately, cooperation with the Democratic Party is set to be the defining challenge ahead.

When the first-instance court imposed the seat-forfeiting fine, the Democratic Party caucus on the Seoul Metropolitan Council had demanded Oh's resignation and reacted with sharp criticism. The caucus issued a statement Friday saying "the administrative vacuum and resulting harm will fall entirely on the shoulders of Seoul's 10 million citizens," and called on Oh to "stop making hollow excuses, acknowledge the illegal conduct and apologize to the public." It further urged him to "make a courageous decision to minimize the burden on city governance and return to normal politics" — in effect, a renewed call for his resignation.

The case is not yet final, however, as the Kim Keon Hee special prosecutor's team, led by Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki, and Oh's side remain sharply at odds, meaning a Supreme Court ruling will be needed before the matter is definitively settled.