Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party, anticipates that Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon will face a ruling similar to the first trial regarding the allegations of illegal polling payments during the appeal set for October 23. He stated that preparations for a by-election for the Seoul mayoral position are underway.
During an appearance on the Democratic Party's YouTube channel, Mint07, Kim said, "While new testimonies have emerged during the appeal process following the first trial's ruling, we have not found any circumstances that would change the guilty verdict. I believe he will likely receive the same penalty of losing his mayoral position."
Kim also mentioned the potential by-election if Mayor Oh ultimately loses his office. He noted, "There is a high possibility that a re-election will take place for the Seoul mayoral position. We are already reviewing various matters under the leadership of Kim Young-bae, the head of the Seoul City Party."
When asked about the qualifications for a candidate for Seoul mayor, Kim responded, "There could be various candidates both within and outside the party. While we need to prepare in a short time and go through several processes, we are considering how to efficiently gather everyone."
Additionally, Kim commented on the recent adoption of the personnel hearing report for Special Inspector Choi Gil-soo by the National Assembly's Legislative and Judiciary Committee, stating, "The appointment of the special inspector was a clear intention of President Lee Jae-myung. The president has gone through strict and rigorous verification to reach this point, ultimately aiming to shape the system of a 'red team' for the presidency."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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