Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's trial sees new audio evidence

During the appeal trial for Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon regarding allegations of violating the Political Funds Act, the Seoul High Court admitted new audio recordings as impeachment evidence. The recordings feature conversations between businessman Kim Han-jung and Myung Tae-kyun from March 2021.

In the recordings, Myung is heard saying, “Oh Se-hoon doesn't know. He doesn't know, so don't worry. I'll take care of it,” and claiming he did not receive money from the Mayor. Oh's legal team argues these files prove that Kim Han-jung independently requested and paid for public opinion polls to support the Mayor without any direct instruction or request from Oh.

Prosecutors have contested the admissibility of the files, citing concerns over their authenticity and the possibility that they were selectively edited or modified. They argue the recordings could actually support the prosecution's claim that the Mayor was involved in the arrangement. The presiding judge noted that the interpretation of the dialogue could vary depending on how it is read. The court scheduled the final hearing for early next month.