People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok [Yonhap]
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok [Yonhap]

People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok said Wednesday he believes "the truth will come to light at the appellate court" after Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon received a first-instance sentence that would strip him of his mayoral seat over a violation of the Political Funds Act.

Jang posted on social media Wednesday, saying he was "deeply disappointed" by the first-instance ruling against Oh and calling it "the Lee Jae Myung administration's campaign to destroy the opposition party and political persecution."

He went on to say that "President Lee Jae Myung's own trials have all come to a standstill," adding that "it will be difficult to trust any ruling from the courts unless Lee's trials resume."

Jang urged the appellate court to exercise "wise judgment," saying that since it remains only a first-instance ruling, city administration should continue without interruption while the higher court weighs in.

The court on Wednesday sentenced Oh to a fine of 10 million won ($6,780) — a penalty that voids his election win — in the first-instance ruling on a case involving alleged payment of polling costs on his behalf by political operative Myung Tae-gyun.


arin@heraldcorp.com