[Anchor]
Lawmaker Kang Seon-woo, who was indicted on charges of receiving 100 million won in exchange for a municipal council nomination, has been sentenced to prison in the first trial and taken into legal custody. The court rebuked Kang for undermining public trust in the electoral system.
Reporter Jang Hun-gyeong.
[Reporter]
Independent lawmaker Kang Seon-woo, who was released on bail on September 22, attended the first-trial sentencing hearing.
[Kang Seon-woo / Independent Lawmaker (Yesterday): "Throughout the trial process, I have faithfully explained my position with objective evidence. I will await the court's judgment today with a humble heart."]
However, in less than an hour, the court's conclusion was a sentence of two years and six months in prison, an additional collection of 100 million won, and re-imprisonment in court.
Kim Gyeong, a former Seoul Metropolitan Council member who was indicted on charges of handing over 100 million won in exchange for a nomination, was also sentenced to one year in prison and taken into legal custody. Meanwhile, Nam, a former aide to Kang who was indicted for arranging the meeting between the two and delivering a shopping bag containing cash, received an eight-month prison sentence suspended for two years.
The court recognized as guilty the charge that in January 2022, Kang received a shopping bag containing 100 million won from former council member Kim at a hotel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, in exchange for a nomination.
The court stated, "The testimony of former council member Kim is consistent, specific to an extent that would be difficult to make without direct experience, and hard to find contradictions in," adding, "Some discrepancies in the statements regarding the timing and method of delivery appear to be due to the limits of memory."
Regarding Kang's claim that former aide Nam received the money without her knowledge, the court ruled, "There is no reason for former council member Kim to give a large sum of money to an aide rather than Kang, who was the local district chairperson," and also acknowledged the fact that Kang used the money to pay for a jeonse (lump-sum housing deposit) balance.
The court emphasized that an-heavy punishment was inevitable, stating, "Kang's actions distorted the candidate nomination process and undermined public trust in the electoral system."
Immediately after the sentencing, Kang's legal camp announced plans to appeal. If the ruling is finalized as is by the Supreme Court, Kang will lose the lawmaker seat.
(Video reporting: Yang Ji-hoon, Video editing: Lee Seung-hee)
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