Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon denied accusations of proxy payment for opinion poll expenses during the first formal trial at the Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday. A special counsel team alleged that ahead of the 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election, Oh instructed a supporter to pay 33 million won on his behalf. Oh's defense countered that he had no such request or motive.
In the first formal trial at the Seoul Central District Court, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon denied the accusations of arranging a proxy payment for opinion poll expenses. The special counsel team, led by Min Joong-ki, indicted Oh last December, claiming he directed his longtime supporter to pay 33 million won ($22,300) to self-proclaimed power broker Myung Tae-kyun for 10 public opinion surveys conducted from January to February 2021. These surveys were carried out by the Future Korea Research Institute, effectively run by Myung in the southeastern city of Changwon, ahead of the 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election.
The special counsel alleged that Oh called Myung around January 21, 2021, to request the poll and instructed his chief of staff, Kang Cheol-won, to consult with Myung. At that time, Oh also asked supporter Kim Han-jung to cover the expenses, according to the team.
Oh's lawyers countered, stating he neither requested Myung to conduct any opinion poll related to the Seoul mayoral by-election nor had any motive to do so. They emphasized there was no reason to commission a poll from small firms like the Future Korea Research Institute.
Before entering the courtroom, Oh expressed doubts about the timing of his indictment to reporters, noting it coincides with the campaign period for the June 3 local elections. "This case became publicly known since September 2024, and I had repeatedly asked for swift investigations by the prosecution and investigative agencies," Oh said. "But the requests were not accepted and the trial and election periods came to coincide precisely after the special counsel's probe." The case has drawn attention amid Oh's political activities.
