Changwon Mayor Hong Nampyo's 'Day of Destiny' Tomorrow... Eyes on First Trial Verdict for Election Law Violation

The first trial verdict for Hong Nampyo, the mayor of Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam, who is accused of violating the Public Official Election Act, is just one day away.

The Criminal Division 4 of Changwon District Court (Chief Judge Jang Yujin) has scheduled the first trial verdict for 10 a.m. on the 8th.

Earlier, Mayor Hong was brought to trial on charges of promising a public office in exchange for withdrawal to a candidate who intended to run in the People Power Party primary during the nationwide local elections in June.

At that time, A, the election campaign committee chairman, was indicted for conspiring with Mayor Hong to offer a public office to B, who was preparing to run as a preliminary candidate, urging him to join the campaign.

B, who reported the two, is also on trial for accepting the offer to join Mayor Hong’s election campaign and the promise of a public office from A.

Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, Gyeongnam, is walking toward the courtroom building of Changwon District Court to attend the last trial before the first-instance verdict.
[Photo by Lee Seryeong]

This trial has been held 19 times in total since the first hearing in January 2023 following the prosecution’s indictment in November 2022, with an additional hearing on the 1st of this month.

The first trial verdict was originally scheduled for the 6th of this month, but the prosecution presented new evidence, leading to the resumption of arguments on the 1st and a two-day postponement of the verdict for further evidence review.

The key issues in this case are whether B, the accuser, was a ‘person intending to become a candidate’ and whether Mayor Hong actually promised a public office to B as stated in the prosecution’s indictment.

B’s side, the accuser, claims that he intended to run in the last local election but did not run because he was offered and promised a public office on the condition of joining the election campaign by Mayor Hong and A, and that this promise was not fulfilled.

They also argue that B was a ‘person intending to become a candidate’ by citing the fact that some documents necessary for candidate registration were issued and that he asked an acquaintance to install a computer for the election office.

Mayor Hong’s side counters that B never clearly expressed his intention to run and did not prepare for candidacy, thus he was not a ‘person intending to become a candidate.’

Mayor Hong emphasized that he did not promise a position to anyone, nor did he instruct a third party to offer a public office to others or tolerate a third party’s promise of a public office.

A’s side argued that B, who had prior candidacy experience, did not disclose his intention to run even to close acquaintances, stopped appearing on broadcasts 90 days before the election, did not recruit responsible party members, and did not engage in any behavior indicating an intention to become a candidate, so it was unclear whether he was a ‘person intending to become a candidate.’

They also said that B vaguely thought that if Mayor Hong was elected and recommended A, he might get a special advisor position, and that he promised A a special advisor position himself.

In the sentencing hearing held in December last year, the prosecution requested the court to sentence Mayor Hong and A to eight months in prison each, and B to four months in prison.

Under the Public Official Election Act, it is prohibited to provide or promise money, property benefits, or public office to be elected as a candidate or to prevent someone from becoming a candidate.

Not only the act of providing benefits but also receiving such benefits or consenting to the offer or promise is prohibited.

Elected officials like Mayor Hong lose their position if they are sentenced to a fine of 1 million won or more in a trial related to the Public Official Election Act.

In his final statement, Mayor Hong said, “At the time of indictment, I held a press conference and stated that I never offered or promised a public office to anyone, and although I was asked by a specific person for a public office, I refused, and that remains the same now,” adding, “I never instructed a third party to offer a public office to others or promised a public office, and I will not do so in the future.”

With conflicting claims among the three defendants including Mayor Hong, attention is focused on what verdict the court will deliver in the first trial.

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