Daejeon mayor gets suspended prison term

Daejeon Mayor Kwon Sun-taik faces the possibility of losing his post after receiving a suspended prison term on Monday for conducting illegal campaign activities.

The Daejeon District Court handed down Kwon a jail term of eight months with a probation of two years.

Kwon, 60, was indicted for creating a forum in October 2012 through which he was suspected of engaging in illegal campaigning, as well as collecting illicit political funds through “special memberships.” 

If higher courts confirm the initial prison term in the coming months or years, his election would be nullified. He is expected to lodge a litigation to an appellate court in the coming days.

Kwon, from the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy, won the June 4 local elections in a neck-and-neck race.

Daejeon City officials cast worries that local development projects would suffer setbacks amid the ongoing court trial procedures.

By Kim Yon-se (kys@heraldcorp.com)