Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency has referred Pohang Mayor Park Yong-seon to prosecutors on allegations including violations of the Public Official Election Act and embezzlement. Police first referred the case in April, but prosecutors repeatedly requested supplementary investigations before the case was resent after additional work. Park is accused of covering a 20 million Korean won burden payment that should have been made in the name of a local youth group he chaired. The group was selected as a beneficiary of an environmental improvement project by Gyeongsangbuk-do and Pohang City in 2023 and received a 180 million Korean won subsidy. Park also faces allegations of embezzling a large sum through a company under his family’s name. He was first elected as the People Power Party’s Pohang mayoral candidate in the June local elections this year. Police said detailed allegations could not be disclosed because the investigation remains ongoing.