A Seoul appellate court has admitted new evidence in the ongoing appeal case involving Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and allegations of improper handling of public opinion poll expenses. The evidence consists of audio recordings of conversations between a political operative, identified as Mr. Myung, and Mr. Kim, a supporter of Mayor Oh. These recordings were presented by Mr. Kim’s side in an attempt to undermine the credibility of Mr. Myung’s testimony, which claims the poll was conducted under Mayor Oh’s directive.
Court Admits New Audio Evidence
The Seoul High Court’s Criminal Division 7, presided over by Judge Gu Hye-geun, is hearing the appeal related to Mayor Oh, former Seoul City official Kang Cheol-won, and Mr. Kim’s political funds law violation case. The court decided on the 16th to accept three audio files submitted by Mr. Kim’s legal team as evidence. The primary purpose of admitting this evidence is to determine the veracity of Mr. Myung’s statements in court.
These recordings capture conversations between Mr. Kim and Mr. Myung that took place in March 2021. This was shortly after the results of the People Power Party’s primary election for the April 7 Seoul mayoral by-election were announced. Mr. Kim’s side argues that the content of these recordings demonstrates that the controversial opinion poll was initiated solely on Mr. Myung’s own judgment, independent of any request or involvement from Mayor Oh’s camp.
Content of the Recordings
Within the submitted audio files, Mr. Kim can be heard telling Mr. Myung, “I did this work because I genuinely wanted to help this person (Mayor Oh Se-hoon).” He further states, “It wasn’t something the other side (Mayor Oh’s camp) wanted, I did it on my own.” Significantly, one of the recordings reportedly includes Mr. Myung stating, “Oh Se-hoon doesn’t know.” This particular exchange is central to Mr. Kim’s argument.
Both Mayor Oh’s and Mr. Kim’s sides contend that these recordings support their claim that the opinion poll in question was conducted based on Mr. Kim’s independent decision-making, without any request from the Mayor’s office. They assert that the poll was not a result of Mayor Oh’s explicit instructions.
Mr. Kim’s Account of Discovering the Recordings
Mr. Kim explained to the court that he felt the initial proceedings were not accurately reflecting the truth, relying solely on Mr. Myung’s potentially false statements. Driven by this concern, he searched his Jeju residence for an old mobile phone he had used previously. He reportedly found the phone containing numerous audio recordings of his conversations with Mr. Myung.
From these 35 recordings found on the old phone, Mr. Kim’s team selected and submitted three to the court as evidence. He stated that he felt compelled to retrieve these recordings because he believed the truth was not being properly presented.
Mayor Oh’s Side Challenges the Evidence
Mayor Oh’s legal team has raised objections to the admission of these recordings. They argue that Mr. Kim selectively chose files that were favorable to his case. Furthermore, they pointed out that one of the submitted files appears to have signs of tampering or alteration, questioning its reliability as evidence.
Despite these objections, the appellate court decided to accept the audio files as evidence for now. The court indicated that it would proceed with admitting them, with plans to re-examine them in court. This decision was made because, at this stage, illegal acquisition or fabrication of evidence had not been definitively proven.
Further Details from Unplayed Recordings
The court also noted that there were other recordings that were not played in court on that day. One such excerpt mentioned Mr. Kim saying, “Kang Cheol-won said he would make it well. I thought ‘making it well’ meant fabricating it to make it well.” This statement suggests a potential understanding of manipulation involved in the process.
When Presiding Judge Gu Hye-geun questioned Mr. Kim about whether former Vice Mayor Kang Cheol-won had ever referred to Mr. Myung as someone who could “make opinion polls well,” Mr. Kim denied it. He then clarified, “I think I was the one who interpreted what former Vice Mayor Kang said to Mr. Myung in that way.” This response indicates a degree of personal interpretation influencing his understanding of the events.
Upcoming Court Proceedings
The appellate court is scheduled to conclude the hearing and make its final ruling on the case on the 2nd of next month. The proceedings will involve further arguments from both sides before a final decision is rendered.
This case centers on allegations that public funds were misused for opinion polls during the 2021 mayoral by-election campaign. The introduction of these new audio recordings adds a complex layer to the ongoing legal battle, potentially influencing the court’s final judgment on the credibility of the testimonies and the actions of those involved.
