‘Not Guilty in First Trial’ Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon, Sentencing in Appeal Today … Election Law Violation Charges

The appellate court ruling on the violation of the Public Official Election Act by Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, Gyeongnam, will be held on the afternoon of the 18th.

The 1st Criminal Division of the Changwon Branch of the Busan High Court (Presiding Judge Min Dalki) decided to move up the scheduled ruling from 2:00 PM to around 1:30 PM on the same day.

Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, Gyeongnam, is heading to the court to attend the appellate trial's closing arguments. Photo by Lee Seryeong

Earlier, Mayor Hong was prosecuted on charges of conspiring with Mr. A, who was the general election countermeasures headquarters chief during last year’s nationwide local elections, to promise a public office to Mr. B, who intended to run in the People Power Party’s Changwon mayoral primary, urging him to join the campaign.

Mr. A was indicted on charges of conspiring with Mayor Hong to offer a public office to Mr. B, who was planning to run as a preliminary candidate, urging him to join the campaign.

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

The first trial court acquitted Mayor Hong, sentenced Mr. A to six months in prison, and sentenced Mr. B to four months in prison with a one-year probation.

The prosecution requested the appellate court to sentence Mayor Hong to eight months in prison, Mr. A to eight months in prison, and Mr. B to four months in prison.

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