Lee Jong-hyun, Seoul Metropolitan Government livelihood affairs envoy, fires back at Democratic Party attacks in a statement Saturday
The Democratic Party of Korea and the Seoul Metropolitan Government clashed over the closing arguments in the appeal trial of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon on allegations that political operative Myung Tae-kyun paid for polling on his behalf.
Lee Jong-hyun, the city government's livelihood affairs envoy, issued a statement Saturday urging the Democratic Party to "stop leaning on Myung Tae-kyun and show restraint," sharply criticizing the party's continued offensive against Oh.
Lee said he "deplores the Democratic Party's low-grade commentary" targeting the mayor who leads and bears responsibility for the lives of 10 million Seoul residents. He said the Myung Tae-kyun case — still unfolding at the center of South Korean politics — shows "how deeply a principled politician who has cut ties with suspicious figures can be thrown into crisis when a low-grade broker joins forces with a special prosecutor operating at the Democratic Party's behest."
Lee added that while other politicians implicated in the Myung Tae-kyun case had stayed silent, Oh had filed a complaint against Myung on his own on Dec. 3, 2024. "And yet he has been walking a path of thorns — a prosecution investigation, search and seizure, a summons, a special prosecutor probe, an indictment, a guilty verdict at trial, and now closing arguments in the appeal," Lee said.
In his final statement at the appeal's closing hearing Friday, Oh apologized to the public for causing concern and said he believed "truth will surely prevail." The special prosecutor sought the same sentence as the first trial — one year and six months in prison and a forfeiture of 33 million won ($24,300).
Lee particularly highlighted a voice recording by Myung that was reportedly admitted as evidence in the appeal, in which Myung says "Oh Se-hoon doesn't know," calling it evidence supporting Oh's claim of non-involvement.
"When this case came to light in 2024, Mayor Oh had already made clear that he had distanced himself from Myung Tae-kyun early on and had never received help from him, including polling," Lee said. "Through this recording, we were able to show the truth."
He then turned to the Democratic Party, urging it to "exercise restraint and reflect," saying the party was "afraid of the truth." Lee said Oh "will always do his utmost to reveal the truth that the Democratic Party fears."
The Democratic Party, meanwhile, pressed on, calling for a strict judicial ruling against Oh.
The party's Seoul chapter oversight committee held a press conference outside Seoul High Court on Friday, saying "the transparency of political funds and the fairness of elections are principles that cannot be compromised," and urged the court to render a strict judgment.
Seoul Assembly member Lee Gwang-hee said "the standard of the law must not vary depending on one's status or power" and that "the substance of the case must be judged strictly on the basis of the evidence submitted and the applicable law."
The Democratic Party also argued that a phone call recording between Myung and Kim Han-jeong, newly submitted as evidence in the appeal, must not be judged by isolated remarks but assessed in light of the overall flow of events and the full body of objective evidence.
Democratic Party Chief Spokesperson Park Seong-jun kept up the pressure in a written briefing Saturday, saying in connection with the appeal's closing arguments that he hoped Oh would "admit his guilt." The party's position is that the first-trial findings on some of the polling and cost-payment charges warrant an equally strict ruling on appeal.
The first-instance court found Oh guilty on charges of violating the Political Funds Act, sentencing him to a fine of 10 million won and a forfeiture of 33 million won. Of the 10 polling instances cited in the indictment, five were found guilty — covering costs of 21 million won — while the remaining five were acquitted.
The appeal verdict is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Oct. 23, and the legal and political battle between Oh's camp and the Democratic Party is expected to intensify in the lead-up to sentencing.
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
