The Supreme Court has upheld the acquittal of former Ulsan Mayor Song Cheol-ho and opposition lawmaker Hwang Un-ha in an election interference case related to the southeastern city’s 2018 mayoral race.

The top court delivered its ruling Thursday, five years and seven months after the two were indicted under the Public Official Election Act and other laws. 

Song, a longtime friend of then-President Moon Jae-in, had been accused of conspiring with Hwang and some presidential aides to win the 2018 mayoral election in Ulsan.

Hwang, who served as Ulsan’s police chief at that time, was accused of conducting an investigation into the camp of Song’s election rival, then-Mayor Kim Gi-hyeon, at the request of Song and some aides to Moon.

Both Song and Hwang were initially found guilty and sentenced to three years in prison, but the Seoul High Court overturned their convictions in January this year.