▲ Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon appears at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on June 17, 2026, for his trial on suspicions of making proxy payments for opinion polls. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) special counsel-Seoul mayor

(LEAD) 18-month prison term sought for Seoul mayor on charges of accepting illegal funds

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with details; RECASTS lead)

SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- 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 of special counsel Min Joong-ki also sought a forfeiture of 33 million won (US$21,800) at the Seoul Central District Court after indicting Oh in December on charges of violating the Political Funds Act.

Oh is suspected of having his political supporter, Kim Han-jung, make payments for opinion poll results he received on 10 occasions from self-proclaimed power broker Myung Tae-kyun ahead of the by-election in April 2021, which he won.

"Despite being in a position to follow the Political Funds Act more than anyone else as a prominent politician, Mayor Oh undermined the legislative purpose of ensuring transparency of political funds by making a third person pay for costs of opinion polls closely related to political activities without following legal procedures," the team said.

The team also sought a one-year prison term for Kim, Oh's supporter, and former Seoul Deputy Mayor Kang Cheol-won, who were both indicted in the case.

Oh has denied the allegations and accused the special counsel team of having a "political purpose" when he arrived at the court earlier in the day.

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