Independent Lawmaker Kang Sun-woo and Former Seoul City Council Member Kim Kyung Referred to Prosecution Over 'Splitting Donations' Allegations

Independent lawmaker Kang Sun-woo and former Seoul City Council member Kim Kyung, who were arrested and referred to the prosecution in March on charges of exchanging 100 million won in return for a political nomination, have now been referred to the prosecution again over allegations of "splitting donations."

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Public Crime Investigation Division announced today (June 12) that it referred Kang and the former council member to the prosecution on the 10th on charges of violating the Political Funds Act.

The former council member is suspected of donating a total of approximately 130 million won to Kang under the names of other people in October 2022 and December 2023, following the local elections.

Since the legal limit for individual political donations is 5 million won per person, it was found that the former council member mobilized dozens of people, including close associates and employees at her younger sibling's workplace.

It is reported that Kang received 100 million won in nomination bribes from the former council member in January 2022 ahead of the local elections, but returned the money in August of that same year.

Kang had been under investigation for allegations of receiving the money again through the aforementioned method.

The police previously arrested and referred the two individuals to the prosecution in March on charges of exchanging the 100 million won nomination bribe.

The police are also investigating circumstances suggesting that the former council member attempted to lobby other senior Democratic Party figures for a nomination with the intention of running in the Gangseo-gu District mayoral by-election in 2023.

In April, a former chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, identified by his surname Yang, was referred to the prosecution while under police investigation for allegedly receiving money from the former council member in exchange for a district mayoral nomination.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.