What did the lower court find about Oh Se-hoon’s opinion polls and payments to Myung Tae-kyun?

The court found that Oh had asked Myung for opinion polls five times and that a supporter paid 21 million won. It partially recognized the allegations that Oh received polls on 10 occasions and that payments totaled 33 million won.

What punishment did special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team seek in Oh Se-hoon’s appeal?

The special counsel team sought an 18-month prison term and forfeiture of 33 million won. Oh also appealed the lower court’s ruling, which had imposed a 10 million won fine and ordered forfeiture of the amount it found had been paid.

How could a final ruling in Oh Se-hoon’s political funds case affect his position as Seoul mayor?

If the conviction is upheld and becomes final, Oh will lose his mayorship. The article says the Political Funds Act requires elected officials to forfeit their seats after a finalized fine of 1 million won or more for improper acceptance of political funds.

Appeals court to rule on Seoul mayor's high-stakes political funds trial

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Summary

The Seoul High Court was set to rule Friday in Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s political funds trial in Seoul. If the court upholds his conviction and the ruling becomes final, Oh will lose his mayorship. The case concerns opinion polls he allegedly received before the 2021 mayoral by-election and payments made by a supporter. Oh maintains that he did not ask the supporter to pay on his behalf.

Key Facts

The Political Funds Act strips elected officials of their seats if they receive a finalized fine of at least 1 million won or a heavier punishment for improperly accepting political funds.
The lower court fined Oh 10 million won in July and ordered him to forfeit the amount it found had been paid for the polls.
The lower court found that Oh had asked Myung Tae-kyun for polls on five occasions and that his supporter paid Myung 21 million won.
Oh is accused of receiving polls on 10 occasions, with payments totaling 33 million won; special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team appealed, seeking an 18-month prison term and forfeiture of 33 million won.
Oh and the special counsel team both appealed the lower court ruling, which partially recognized the charges.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 23, 2026 9:26 am KST

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is taking an oath during the National Assembly audit held at Seoul City Hall, Oct. 15. Yonhap

An appeals court was set to rule Friday on Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's trial in a high-stakes political funds case stemming from opinion polls he allegedly received ahead of the 2021 mayoral by-election.

If the Seoul High Court upholds his conviction by a lower court and the ruling is finalized through appeal, Oh will lose his mayorship after being elected into office for a fifth term in June.

Under the Political Funds Act, elected officials are stripped of their seats if they receive a finalized fine of 1 million won ($754) or heavier punishment for improper acceptance of political funds.

Oh's sentencing hearing was scheduled to be broadcast live at 2 p.m.

Oh is accused of having a political supporter make payments totaling 33 million won for opinion polls he received on 10 occasions from self-proclaimed power broker Myung Tae-kyun ahead of the 2021 election.

The lower court sentenced Oh to a fine of 10 million won in July after partially recognizing the charges.

It ruled that Oh had asked Myung for opinion polls on five occasions and his supporter paid the power broker 21 million won. The district court had also ordered Oh to forfeit the amount.

Both Oh and special counsel Min Joong-ki's team appealed the ruling, with Min's team seeking an 18-month prison term and a forfeiture of 33 million won.

Oh of the main opposition People Power Party has maintained his innocence, claiming it would have been against his political beliefs to ask a supporter to make payments on his behalf.

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