Former City Council Member Kim Kyung, Accused of 100 Million Won 'Nomination Bribe,' Requests Bail; Prosecution Cites Risk of Evidence Tampering

Kim Kyung, a former Seoul Metropolitan Council member who was arrested and indicted on charges of providing 100 million won to independent lawmaker Kang Sun-woo in exchange for a political nomination, has requested to stand trial without detention, stating that he is reflecting on his wrongdoing.
On July 15, Judge Lee Chun-geun of the Seoul Central District Court, presiding over the 1st Criminal Division, held a continued trial for the political fund law violation case involving both Lawmaker Kang and former Council Member Kim, and simultaneously conducted a bail hearing for Kim.
Kim's legal counsel requested that the court grant bail, arguing that "the defendant admits to all charges in the indictment and is deeply reflecting on his mistakes," and that "he has contributed to uncovering the truth of the case by faithfully participating in the proceedings since the investigation stage, including submitting a written confession."
Kim himself also appealed to the court, stating, "I have arrived at this point due to a wrong choice. It is entirely my fault, and if granted leniency, I will faithfully attend the trial while accepting any conditions imposed."
In contrast, the prosecution requested that the bail request be denied, stating, "If released, there is a risk that the defendant may conceal evidence or attempt to influence the testimonies of individuals involved in the case."
As grounds for this, the prosecution pointed out that Kim had selectively submitted materials during the trial process and had attempted to shift responsibility for the circumstances of the crime onto his aide.
A decision on whether to grant bail to Kim will be made at a later date.
Kim was arrested and indicted in March on charges of violating the Political Funds Act for providing 100 million won to Lawmaker Kang in January 2022, ahead of the local elections, in exchange for a nomination.
At the time, Lawmaker Kang was a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Kim was nominated as the sole candidate for the Seoul Metropolitan Council from the Democratic Party in Gangseo-gu, Seoul—the district represented by Kang—and was subsequently elected.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.