[Summary] Kim Won-woong Voluntarily Resigns as Chairman of Gwangbokhoe... "Bows Head in Apology"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] Kim Won-woong, chairman of the Liberation Association, who is suspected of embezzling proceeds, has resigned. Chairman Kim, who took office in June 2019, was disgracefully forced to step down after 2 years and 8 months as it was revealed that he had created slush funds from the proceeds of a cafe operated by the Liberation Association for a scholarship project for descendants of national merit recipients.

On the 16th, Chairman Kim said in a statement, "I bow my head and apologize for tarnishing the pride of the members and the honor of the Liberation Association," adding, "It is entirely my fault that such an unfortunate incident occurred because I could not judge people properly and failed in supervision and management."

He also claimed, "I have devoted half my life to leading the liquidation of pro-Japanese collaborators. I have stood in opposition to the pro-Japanese anti-nationalist media outlet ‘Chosun Ilbo’ and fought against it," and "It pains me more that I am being destroyed by that Chosun Ilbo and TV Chosun."

According to the ‘Liberation Association National Assembly Cafe Audit Summary’ submitted by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs to the National Assembly’s Political Affairs Committee on the 15th, Chairman Kim’s slush funds were created through the outdoor cafe ‘Heritage 815’ operated inside the National Assembly building in Yeouido, Seoul. When this cafe placed orders with Company Y, Company Y created slush funds by receiving rebates from coffee ingredient suppliers through methods such as false sales and inflated billing.

According to the audit results by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, Chairman Kim spent 600,000 won of these slush funds at an unlicensed massage parlor operating without a business name in an apartment complex in Jongam-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. He visited six times, paying 100,000 won per massage session. In addition, the cooperative ‘Heojun Herbal School’ established by Chairman Kim also received slush funds totaling around 20 million won, including △14.86 million won for construction costs and △3 million won for purchasing saplings and flowers. The total amount of slush funds embezzled by Chairman Kim reached approximately 72.56 million won.

Chairman Kim had previously rejected calls to resign, calling the audit results by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs "clear defamation." However, after some Liberation Association members decided to hold an extraordinary general meeting to vote on a ‘no-confidence motion against the chairman’ on the 14th, he finally announced his resignation. Some speculate that the extraordinary general meeting for ‘chairman impeachment’?an unprecedented event in the 57-year history of the Liberation Association?and mounting pressure from political circles led him to decide to step down voluntarily.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.