[Anchor]
The sentencing hearing is currently underway for independent lawmaker Kang Sun-woo and former Seoul Metropolitan Council member Kim Kyung, who are on trial on charges of receiving and giving 100 million won in illicit nomination funds. Let's connect with our reporter at the court for the latest.
Reporter Shin Yong-il, what sentence did prosecutors demand for the two defendants?
[Reporter]
Yes, prosecutors have asked the court to sentence independent lawmaker Kang Sun-woo to four years in prison.
The sentencing hearing for lawmaker Kang, who was put on trial for violating the Political Funds Act, has been taking place here at the court since this morning.
Lawmaker Kang is accused of receiving 100 million won in nomination funds from former council member Kim Kyung ahead of the local elections in 2022.
The investigation into lawmaker Kang began late last year shortly after a recording file was released involving lawmaker Kim Byung-gi of the Democratic Party, who was serving as the secretary of the party's nomination management committee at the time.
Since being arrested in March, lawmaker Kang has been undergoing investigation and trial while detained.
During today's hearing, prosecutors stated the reason for the sentencing demand, saying, "The nomination process was treated as a subject of financial transaction, undermining public trust."
Prosecutors also demanded a two-year prison sentence for former council member Kim, who actually received a single-nomination status after delivering the nomination funds.
Unlike former council member Kim, who admitted to the charges, lawmaker Kang has denied the allegations throughout the trial.
During the sentencing hearing, lawmaker Kang continued to deny the charges, claiming that police coerced statements during the investigation process.
Kang argued that a police official pressured her by saying that if she admitted to the fact of receiving the 100 million won, they would help her maintain her dignity as a lawmaker.
Meanwhile, prosecutors recently additionally indicted the two on charges that after former council member Kim took back the 100 million won provided as nomination funds at the time, she made split political donations to lawmaker Kang using the names of dozens of people. The first instance court is expected to handle this case separately rather than consolidating it.
(Photo courtesy of Yonhap News)
(Video by Kim Nam-sung | Video Editing by Lee Hong-myung)
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