The first hearing in a trial on alleged election meddling involving the presidential office took place on Monday, 16 months after the case was referred to trial.

The 15 defendants, which include Ulsan Mayor Song Cheol-ho, former Vice Mayor Song Byeong-gi and former and incumbent presidential officials, were obligated to appear at the Seoul Central District Court.

They were indicted on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act as suspicions arose that the presidential office had engaged in unlawful acts in 2018 to support the election of Ulsan’s current mayor.

Prosecutors believe top office officials gave Song internal government information to help him devise campaign pledges and tried to affect the election outcome by tipping police about irregularities involving Song's rival Kim Gi-hyeon, the incumbent mayor at the time.

Making his court appearance, Mayor Song lambasted the prosecution as politically motivated, calling his indictment far-fetched, and continued to deny all allegations.