Lawmaker Kang Sunoo Sentenced to 2.5 Years in Prison Over 100 Million Won Nomination Bribe, Taken Into Custody

[Anchor]

Independent lawmaker Kang Sunoo has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison in her first trial on charges of accepting 100 million won in exchange for a local council nomination. Lawmaker Kang, who was previously released on bail, was taken back into court custody today (14th). The court rebuked her for undermining public trust in the electoral system.

Reporter Jang Hun-gyeong has the details.

[Reporter]

Independent lawmaker Kang Sunoo, who was released on bail on September 22, attended the first-instance sentencing hearing.

[Kang Sunoo / Independent Lawmaker: Throughout the trial process, I faithfully explained my position with objective evidence. I will wait for the court's judgment today with a humble heart.]

However, in less than an hour, the court reached its conclusion: two and a half years in prison, a forfeiture of 100 million won, and re-imprisonment in court.

Former Seoul Metropolitan Council member Kim Kyung, 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 court custody. Nam, a former aide to Lawmaker 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 acknowledged as guilty the indictment charge that in January 2022, Lawmaker Kang received a shopping bag containing 100 million won from former Council Member Kim in exchange for a nomination at a hotel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

The court stated, "Former Council Member Kim's statements are consistent and so specific that they would be difficult to make without having experienced it firsthand, and it is difficult to find contradictions." It added, "Some discrepancies in statements regarding the timing and method of delivery appear to be due to the limits of memory."

Regarding Lawmaker Kang's claim that former aide Nam received the money behind her back, the court stated, "There is no reason for former Council Member Kim to give a large sum of money to an aide rather than Lawmaker Kang, who was the head of the local chapter," and also acknowledged the fact that Lawmaker Kang used the money to pay for a lease deposit.

The court emphasized that "Lawmaker Kang's actions distorted the process of recommending election candidates and undermined public trust in the electoral system," making strict punishment inevitable.

Immediately following the sentencing, Lawmaker Kang's legal team announced plans to appeal. If the sentence is finalized as is by the Supreme Court, she will lose her parliamentary seat.

(Video by Yang Ji-hoon | Video Editing by Lee Seung-hee)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.