Civic Group Files Complaint Against Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon Over Alleged Polling Payment Scandal

The civic organization ‘Citizens’ Action for Justice Reform’ (사법정의바로세우기시민행동), commonly referred to as 사세행, has reported allegations against Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, political broker Myung Tae-kyun, and businessman Kim, who is known to be a supporter of the mayor, for violations of political funding laws. This complaint was submitted to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on the 25th.

The allegations suggest that during the 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election, Mayor Oh received unpublished polling results from Myung on 13 occasions. In return, Kim allegedly deposited funds into the personal account of Kang Hye-kyung. Kang's side revealed on the 22nd that Kim had made five deposits totaling 33 million KRW, claiming that the total amount deposited was around 100 million KRW. The organization stated, “Mayor Oh improperly received political funds, as Kim covered the costs of the unpublished polling results amounting to 33 million KRW.”

On the same day, 사세행 also filed complaints against President Yoon Suk-yeol for violations of the Anti-Graft Act, and against Myung and a businessman from North Gyeongsang Province, referred to as A, for allegations of bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. The core of these allegations involves Myung requesting that A's son be appointed as a working committee member for the presidential transition team, in exchange for which he allegedly received 100 million KRW. It has been suggested that A's son, after passing through the transition team, is currently serving as a 6th-grade administrative officer in the presidential office.

사세행 claims, “Myung exploited his special relationship with President Yoon and demanded 100 million KRW in exchange for facilitating A's son's appointment, thereby gaining financial benefits by having his debt of 100 million KRW waived.” Furthermore, the organization accused President Yoon of failing to report the improper solicitation he received from Myung regarding A's son's appointment while in the position of president-elect, which they argue constitutes a conflict of interest.