A South Korean court’s conviction of Seoul’s mayor for illegal polling payments threatens to put an end to his presidential ambitions just weeks after he won a historic fifth term.
Oh Se-hoon, the 65-year-old conservative who has led
’s capital on and off for nearly two decades, was fined 10 million won (US$6,800) on Wednesday for violating the Political Funds Act ahead of the mayoral by-election in 2021.
Under South Korean law, any elected official fined more than 1 million won for violating the Political Funds Act forfeits their office and faces a five-year election ban once the ruling is finalised on appeal.
Should the Supreme Court uphold Wednesday’s verdict, Oh would be stripped of his position as Seoul’s mayor and forfeit any hope of winning a seat in the 2028 National Assembly elections or entering the next presidential race in 2030.
Supporters of former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol stage a rally outside the Seoul High Court in April. Photo: AP