O Se-hoon's political future hangs in the balance as the appeal ruling in the "Myung Tae-kyun polling scandal" is set for tomorrow. If the appellate court upholds the first-instance ruling, it could severely impact O's political career and disrupt the operation of the ninth elected Seoul administration.
According to legal sources on the 22nd, the Seoul High Court's Criminal Division 7 will hold a ruling session on O's appeal for violations of the Political Funds Act at 2 p.m. on the 23rd.
O is accused of receiving polling results from political broker Myung Tae-kyun on ten occasions before the April 7, 2021, Seoul mayoral by-election and having his supporter, businessman Kim Han-jung, pay approximately 33 million won for the polling costs.
In July, the first-instance court found that five of the ten polls were conducted at O's request and acknowledged the payment of polling costs, sentencing him to a fine of 10 million won and a forfeiture of 21 million won.
If a sentence of over 100,000 won for violations of the Political Funds Act is confirmed, O would face a five-year ban from holding public office, and current officials would lose their positions. However, he can maintain his office until the sentence is finalized.
The appeal court's ruling will be influenced by newly admitted evidence, including recorded phone calls between Myung and Kim. In these recordings, Kim tells Myung, "I did this because I wanted to help this gentleman (O)," and Myung responds, "O Se-hoon doesn't know. I'll handle it myself."
There is also significant interest in the appellate court, which previously handled the appeal in the "Myung Tae-kyun free polling scandal" involving former President Yoon Suk Yeol. On the 7th, the court acquitted Yoon, stating that polling cannot be considered a financial benefit.
The special prosecutor's office has requested a sentence of one year and six months in prison for O, along with the forfeiture of 33 million won, similar to the first-instance ruling.
Unlike the first-instance ruling, which was broadcasted via recorded video, the appeal ruling will be live-streamed.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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