Seoul City: "Police Search and Seizure Is an Excessive Investigation and Political Probe Against the Opposition Mayor"

Police Investigate Mayor Oh Se-hoon for Election Law Violations Related to 'Pie City'... Search and Seizure on 31st

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is attending the Cabinet meeting held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 31st. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government expressed deep regret over the police's sudden search and seizure at City Hall on the 31st in connection with the election law violation accusation against Mayor Oh Se-hoon, calling it an excessive and political investigation targeting the opposition party's Seoul mayor.

On the same day, Seoul City made this statement through spokesperson Lee Chang-geun.

The Anti-Corruption and Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency reportedly conducted the search and seizure at related departments such as the Seoul City Urban Planning Bureau and Urban Transportation Office to secure materials related to the 'Pi City' permit from 2006 to 2011.

The police have been investigating since receiving a complaint that Mayor Oh's statement at the Korea Broadcast Reporters Club debate before the April by-election, claiming that the Pi City case was unrelated to his tenure, constituted false information disclosure under the Public Official Election Act.

Seoul City stated, "The remark at the Korea Broadcast Reporters Club debate during the April 7 by-election, 'It is unlikely that the case is related to the Seoul City during my tenure,' was merely a response based on past memory," adding, "Using this as a reason for investigation under the 'violation of the Public Official Election Act for false information disclosure' and conducting a sudden search and seizure at Seoul City Hall as if a tremendous crime had occurred is an 'excessive investigation' and an 'exaggerated and fabricated investigation' against an opposition party metropolitan mayor."

They continued, "Before the search and seizure, the matter could have been sufficiently verified through fact-checking such as inquiries," and added, "The clear facts are that the urban planning, including the determination of facility scale for Pi City development, went through the Seoul City Urban Planning Committee and Architecture Committee reviews. However, the approval of the Pi City urban planning facility project implementation plan and building permits were granted by Seocho District Office."

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