"5 Files Submitted Including Accounting Fraud Allegations" ... "Gossip From Cheong Wa Dae's Perspective"

[Anchor]

Although former Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won voluntarily withdrew his nomination, strong fallout continues over a petition submitted to Cheong Wa Dae by his former aide. The former aide told SBS that they delivered five document files to the presidential office, including a petition containing allegations of accounting fraud in the Democratic Party's Gyeonggi Provincial Chapter, which Kim previously led.

Reporter Ha Jeongyeon reports.

[Reporter]

Person A, a former aide to Democratic Party Lawmaker Kim Seung-won, who stepped down from his nomination as justice minister, told SBS yesterday (September 21) that they delivered a petition detailing allegations against Kim to Hong Ihk-pyo, Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs, on September 17.

That was the day the National Assembly confirmation hearing report on Kim was adopted under the leadership of the Democratic Party, and the day before President Lee Jae-myung's press conference.

A said, "At around 11:10 a.m. on September 17, I sent five document files to Senior Secretary Hong via Telegram, including the petition, a letter to the president, and a compilation of alleged accounting irregularities within the Democratic Party's Gyeonggi Provincial Chapter."

The 13-page petition and letter, written respectively by A and another former aide, contained allegations against Lawmaker Kim including sexual harassment at drinking gatherings, additional drunk driving incidents, verbal abuse against aides, and accounting irregularities.

A also said that the primary reason for raising the issue was the so-called "payback suspicion"—allegations that the Gyeonggi provincial chapter under Kim's leadership paid 1 million to 2 million won in extra money to certain party officials separate from their base salaries, and then received the funds back into a separate account to use for other purposes.

On the afternoon of September 18, the day after the petition was submitted and the day before Kim voluntarily resigned,

A also stated that they met with Kim at Kim's request and demanded his resignation, but Kim refused.

However, a key Democratic Party official told SBS regarding the accounting fraud allegations, "We looked into it at the party level, but found that Lawmaker Kim did not use any funds for personal purposes," adding, "An investigation by the National Election Commission is underway, and we are awaiting the results."

When asked on a radio program yesterday whether a petition had been submitted to Cheong Wa Dae, Cheong Wa Dae Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung gave the following answer:

[Kang Yu-jung / Cheong Wa Dae Chief Spokesperson (KBS Radio's 'Jeongyeok Sisa'): "Since personnel authority over nominee Kim Seung-won no longer remains, other stories are just 'gossip' from Cheong Wa Dae's perspective."]

Even after Democratic Party Lawmaker Kim Seung-won's fall from the justice minister nomination, the repercussions continue to mount over the additional allegations raised by his former aides.

(Video by Lee Seung-hwan | Video Editing by Choi Jin-hwa | Graphics by Kang Yoon-jung)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.