Prosecutors Indict Seonwoo Kang and Kyung Kim Over 100 Million Won Nomination Donation... Bribery Charges Not Applied

Independent lawmaker Seonwoo Kang and former Seoul city council member Kyung Kim, both of whom were arrested on charges of exchanging a "nomination donation" worth 100 million won ahead of the 2022 local elections, were both indicted and sent to trial while in detention on March 27.

Kim Kyung, former city councilor - Kang Sunwoo, member of the National Assembly. Yonhap News Agency

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The Public Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office (Chief Prosecutor: Hyungwon Kim) announced that on this day, Kang was indicted and detained on charges of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act and the Political Funds Act, as well as accepting bribes in breach of trust. Kim was also indicted and detained on charges of giving bribes in breach of trust and violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act and the Political Funds Act.

Aide A, who works in Kang’s constituency and faces the same charges, was indicted without detention.

Kang is accused of receiving 100 million won from former city council member Kim at a hotel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, ahead of the 2022 local elections. At the time, Kang was a member of the Democratic Party. Subsequently, Kim was nominated as the sole Democratic Party candidate for Seoul Metropolitan Council in Kang’s own constituency, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, and was elected.

The prosecution found that Aide A played a key role throughout the entire offense, including arranging meetings and facilitating the transfer of money.

The 100 million won in cash received by Kang was confirmed to have been used for his own private purposes, such as a real estate contract. The entire amount has been placed under a provisional seizure order.

However, the prosecution did not apply bribery charges in this case. It explained that the exercise of a political party’s nomination rights is an internal decision-making process and cannot easily be regarded as an official duty of a member of the National Assembly, making it difficult to recognize quid pro quo.

The prosecution stated, "This case is a serious crime in which nomination rights, the foundation of democracy, were acquired in exchange for money," and added, "We will take strict action to prevent the recurrence of similar offenses, such as cash-for-nomination elections."

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