Seoul City Councilor Fined for Alleged Violation of Political Funds Act During Party Branch Tenure
Allegations of Violations of the Political Parties Act and the Political Funds Act
Min Byeong-ju, a member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, was sentenced to a fine on charges of receiving political funds and improperly operating an office during his time as the secretary-general of the People Power Party's Seoul Jungnang District Party Members' Council.
On the 21st, Judge Cho Mi-ok of the Seoul Northern District Court Criminal Division 1 announced that Min was sentenced to a fine of 500,000 KRW for violating the Political Parties Act and a fine of 700,000 KRW for violating the Political Funds Act. Yoon (69), who was also indicted, was sentenced to a fine of 1,000,000 KRW for violating the Political Parties Act and a fine of 2,000,000 KRW for violating the Political Funds Act.
Min and Yoon were indicted for operating a forum office as the People Power Party Jungnang District election office during the April 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election and the March 2022 20th presidential election. According to the Political Parties Act, party member councils and similar offices cannot be established as subordinate organizations of city or provincial party branches.
The court found that Min and Yoon collected 27,950,000 KRW from 23 forum members as membership fees and used the funds for office expenses, staff salaries, and other operating costs of the party members' council, thereby receiving political funds.
The court stated, "The amount of political funds received cannot be considered insignificant, and the nature of the crime is not favorable," but added, "However, considering that the funds were not used for the defendant's personal purposes and that there is no prior record of punishment other than fines for different crimes," explaining the sentencing rationale.
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Min was elected as a People Power Party member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council representing Seoul Jungnang District in the June 2022 local elections.
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