Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon faces 18-month prison request in political funds appeal

October 2, 2026 at 11:29 AM2 min

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A special counsel team on Friday sought an 18-month prison term for Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon in an appellate trial over illegal political funds. The request came after a lower court fined Oh 10 million won for violating the Political Funds Act. The mayor faces removal from office if the higher court upholds a fine of 1 million won or more.

Key Facts

Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team requested an 18-month prison sentence for Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon at the Seoul High Court on October 2.
The lower court fined Oh 10 million won ($7,400) for violating the Political Funds Act.
Oh is accused of receiving opinion poll results 10 times from political broker Myung Tae-kyun ahead of the April 2021 by-election, with a supporter paying 33 million won.
The special counsel also sought one-year prison terms for former Seoul deputy mayor Kang Cheol-won and businessman Kim, who were indicted alongside Oh.
Under South Korean law, elected officials lose their seats if they receive a finalized fine of 1 million won or more for accepting illegal political funds.

Appellate Sentencing Request

The special counsel team led by Min Joong-ki asked the Seoul High Court to sentence Oh Se-hoon to 18 months in prison and order forfeiture of 33 million won. The request was made at a hearing before Seoul High Court Criminal Division 7, presided over by Judge Gu Hoe-geun. The lower court had fined Oh 10 million won, partially recognizing the charges. The special counsel team stated that Oh, as a prominent politician, was especially obligated to follow the Political Funds Act.

Charges and Co-Defendants

Oh is accused of having a supporter pay 33 million won for opinion poll results he received on 10 occasions from Myung Tae-kyun before the April 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election. The lower court ruled that Oh asked Myung for opinion polls on five occasions and that his supporter paid a total of 21 million won. The special counsel also sought one-year prison terms for Kang Cheol-won, former Seoul deputy mayor for political affairs, and businessman Kim, a longtime supporter of Oh. The requested sentences for all three defendants are the same as those sought at the first trial.

Political Consequences

Under the Political Funds Act, elected officials are stripped of their seats if they receive a finalized fine of 1 million won or heavier punishment for accepting illegal political funds. Oh is currently serving a fifth term as Seoul mayor after winning the June 3 local elections. If the appellate court imposes a fine of 1 million won or more, Oh would lose his mayoral post.