▲ 황운하 국회의원     ©황운하 의원실

대전 중구지역의 선출직 국회의원과 구청장이 각각 선거법 위반으로 당선무효형을 선고 받은 가운데 이를 바라보는 구민들은 볼성사나운 모습이라며 안타까움을 나타내고 있다.

특히 현역 국회의원과 구청장이 각각 선거법위반으로 실형을 선고 받으면서 중구지역에는 정치가 실종됐고, 구정은 혼란을 야기 할 수 있는 격량에 빠저들어 가고 있어 그에 대한 피해는 고스란히 구민들에게 돌아가가 때문에 우려의 목소리가 커지고 있다.

앞서 더불어민주당 황운하 국회의원은 지난달 29일, 울산지방경찰청장으로 재직하던 지난 2018년 청와대 하명으로 울산시장 선거에 개입했다는 혐의로 기소돼 1심 재판에서 징역 3년(공직선거법위반 징역 2년 6개월, 직권남용권리행사방해 징역 6개월)을 선고 받았다.

황 의원에 대한 1심 판결은 황 의원이 재판 시작 3년 10개월 만에 내린 판결로 재선가도에 빨간불이 들어왔다는 의견이 지배적이다.

황의원에 대한 1심 판결이 대법원에서 확정 되려면 물리적인 시간이 충분한 관계로 황 의원이 21대 국회의원 임기를 채울 수 있을 것으로 내다보고있다.

하지만 제22대 총선 공천과 관련해서 셈법이 복잡해 지는 분위기가 감지되면서 그가 수노롭게 공천장을 거머쥐게 될 것인지는 회의적인 시각이 다수를 이루는 모양세다.

이런 분위기가 벌써부터 감지되는데는 더불어민주당 당헌 당규를 떠나 현역 국회의원이 선거법 위반으로 1심재판에서 당선무효형을 선고 받았다는 자체 만으로 지역 유권자들과 거리감이 형성될 것이라는 전망에서 순탄치 않은 여정을 가게될 것으로 보인다.

한편 황 의원은 1심판결이 내려진 다음 날인 지난 1일 항소장을 제출한 것으로 알려졌다.

▲ 김광신 중구청장     ©김정환 기자

대전 중구지역의 또다른 선출직인 국민의힘 김광신 중구청장이 지난 달 30일 선거법 위반으로 벌금 150만 원을 선고한 2심 판결이 대법원에서 확정되면서 판결과 동시에 구청장직에서 내려와 구정 공백을 야기했다.

김광신 전 청장을 시잔 지방선거 당시 2억 여 원의 재산신고를 누락해 공직선거법위반 혐의로 기소돼 재판을 받아왔었다.

1심 재판부는 벌금 90만 원을 선고해 김 전 청장이 기사회생 하는 것 아니냐는 기대감도 있었지만 항소심 재판을 준비하는 과정에 섞연치 않은 대응을 하면서 1심 판결보다 높은 당선무효형인 벌금 150만 원을 선고 받고 대법원에 상고했으나 항소심 판결이 유지돼 중도 낙마하게 됐다.

당선무효형을 선고 받은 국회의원과 구청장, 이들 두 사람은 사실상 취임과 함께 선거법 위반으로 수사기관의 조사에 이은 재판이 지루하게 진행돼 이를 바라보는 지역민들을 한숨지게 했다.

결과적으로 이들 두사람의 행위가 유죄로 인정되면서 한사람은 징역형을 1심재판에서 선고 받았고, 한 사람은 당선무효형이 확정돼 직을 떠났다.

사실상 이들 두 사람은 임기 중  대다수의 시간을 자신의 재판에 전념하면서 의정활동과 구정에 소홀히 했다는 지적에 대해 자유롭지 않을 것으로 보인다.

이제 한 사람은 항소심에 전념을 해야하고 한 사람이 떠난 구청은 조직 안정과 구민들을 위한 새로운 비전을 제시해 구민들의 상처난 마음을 달래야 하고 그들을 위해 무한 봉사를 해야 한다는 여론에 귀 기울여야 한다는 여론에 숙연해야 할 것으로 보인다. 

*아래는 위 기사를 '구글 번역'으로 번역한 영문 기사의 [전문]입니다. '구글번역'은 이해도를 높이기를 위해 노력하고 있습니다. 영문 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 전제로 합니다.<*The following is [the full text] of the English article translated by 'Google Translate'. 'Google Translate' is working hard to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation.>

An elected member of the National Assembly in Jung-gu, Daejeon, was sentenced to three years in prison... The district mayor fell out of office...

While an elected member of the National Assembly and a district mayor in Daejeon's Jung-gu area were each sentenced to invalidation of their election for violating the election law, residents of the district who are watching this are expressing their sorrow, saying they are shocked.

In particular, as an active member of the National Assembly and a district mayor were each sentenced to prison for violating the election law, politics has disappeared in the Jung-gu area, and the district administration is falling into a situation that could cause chaos. There are voices of concern because the damage will be passed on to the residents of the district. is growing.

Previously, on the 29th of last month, National Assembly member Hwang Un-ha was indicted on charges of interfering in the Ulsan mayoral election under the orders of the Blue House in 2018 while he was serving as the head of the Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency, and was sentenced to three years in prison in the first trial (2 years and 6 months in prison for violation of the Public Official Election Act, abuse of power right Sentenced to 6 months in prison for obstruction of an event.

The prevailing opinion is that the first trial ruling against Rep. Hwang was made 3 years and 10 months after the start of the trial, putting a red light on Rep. Hwang's path to re-election.

Since there is enough physical time for the first trial ruling against Rep. Hwang to be confirmed by the Supreme Court, it is expected that Rep. Hwang will be able to complete his term as a member of the 21st National Assembly.

However, as the atmosphere of complicating calculations related to nominations for the 22nd general election is sensed, many people seem to be skeptical about whether he will win the nomination nomination through hardships.

This atmosphere can already be sensed, and it is expected that the Democratic Party of Korea will have a difficult journey due to the prospect that a sense of distance will be created with local voters just because a sitting member of the National Assembly was sentenced to invalidate his election in the first trial for violating the election law, regardless of the party's constitution and rules. see.

Meanwhile, Rep. Hwang reportedly submitted an appeal on the 1st, the day after the first trial decision was made.

On the 30th of last month, District Mayor Kim Gwang-shin, another elected official in Jung-gu, Daejeon, was confirmed by the Supreme Court on the 30th of last month when he was sentenced to a fine of 1.5 million won for violating the election law. He stepped down from his position as district mayor at the same time as the ruling, creating a vacuum in district administration.

Former Commissioner Kim Gwang-shin was on trial after being indicted on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act by failing to report assets worth about 200 million won during the local elections.

The first trial court sentenced former Commissioner Kim to a fine of 900,000 won, which raised expectations that former Commissioner Kim would be rehabilitated, but the court responded inconsistently in the process of preparing for the appellate trial and imposed a fine of 1.5 million won, which is a higher penalty than the first trial ruling. He was sentenced and appealed to the Supreme Court, but the appellate court's ruling was upheld and he dropped out of the race.

The two people, the National Assembly member and the district mayor, who were sentenced to invalidate their election, were in fact violating the election law upon taking office, and the trial following the investigation by the investigative agency proceeded in a tedious manner, making local residents who watched it sigh.

As a result, the actions of these two people were recognized as guilty, and one person was sentenced to imprisonment in the first trial, and the other person had his election invalidated and left office.

In fact, it seems that these two people will not be free from criticism that they neglected legislative activities and district administration while devoting most of their time in office to their own trials.

Now, the prevailing public opinion is that one person must concentrate on the appeal, and the district office where the other person left must listen to public opinion that it must soothe the wounded hearts of the residents by presenting a new vision for the stability of the organization and the residents, and provide infinite service for them. am.