Seoul: A special counsel team on Wednesday sought an 18-month prison term for Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon on charges of accepting illegal political funds in connection with opinion polls he received ahead of the mayoral by-election in 2021. The team has also requested the forfeiture of 33 million won (US$21,800) following Oh's indictment in December for violating the Political Funds Act.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Oh is accused of having his political supporter, Kim Han-jung, fund opinion poll results on ten separate occasions from self-proclaimed power broker Myung Tae-kyun before the April 2021 by-election, which Oh subsequently won. The special counsel, led by Min Joong-ki, argues that Oh, as a key political figure, should have adhered to the Political Funds Act. Instead, he allegedly compromised the law's intent by allowing a third party to cover the costs of politically relevant opinion polls without proper legal procedures.

The special counsel team has also recommended a one-year prison sentence for Kim, Oh's supporter, and former Seoul Deputy Mayor Kang Cheol-won, who were both indicted alongside Oh. Mayor Oh has denied the allegations, suggesting that the special counsel team's actions are politically motivated.