Busan Sasang District Mayor Kim Dae-geun Loses Position After Avoiding Debate by Removing 'False Diagnosis' Claim

Supreme Court Dismisses Mayor Kim's Appeal ... Confirms Original Sentence of 6 Months Imprisonment with 1 Year Probation

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Kim Dae-geun, mayor of Sasang District in Busan from the Democratic Party of Korea, who was indicted for receiving a false diagnosis to avoid participating in a local election debate as his election was considered likely to succeed, has lost his position after the Supreme Court confirmed his prison sentence.

The Supreme Court's First Division (Presiding Justice Park Jeong-hwa) announced on the 19th that it upheld the lower court's ruling sentencing Mayor Kim to six months in prison with a one-year probation for charges of obstruction of official duties by deception and violation of the Political Funds Act.

Mayor Kim was prosecuted for receiving political funds not reported to the Election Commission during the 2018 local elections and using them for expenses such as meals for election campaign workers.

He was also charged with obstruction of official duties by deception for deliberately missing a debate organized by the Election Broadcasting Debate Commission by obtaining a false medical certificate.

The lower court stated, "The candidate debate system was introduced to assist voters in making rational decisions, but the defendant undermined this system and infringed on the public's right to know. The crime is not minor, and the method was meticulous, reflecting poor criminal nature," and sentenced him to six months in prison with a one-year probation and a fine of 500,000 KRW for obstruction of official duties by deception.

He was also found guilty of violating the Political Funds Act and fined 500,000 KRW.

The appellate court upheld the first trial's sentence, and on this day, the Supreme Court dismissed Mayor Kim's appeal.

Elected officials who receive a confirmed fine of 1,000,000 KRW or more for violating the Political Funds Act have their election invalidated, and if sentenced to imprisonment or higher in general criminal cases, they lose their position.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.