Independent lawmaker Kang Sun-woo and former Seoul city councilor Kim Kyung have been referred to prosecutors six days after their arrest on allegations of nomination-related bribes.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Public Crimes Investigation Unit announced on the 11th that it referred former councilor Kim to prosecutors on charges of providing 100 million won in cash to lawmaker Kang in exchange for a party nomination, including violations of the Political Funds Act, breach of trust, and the Anti-Graft Law. Lawmaker Kang and her former aide, identified only by the surname Nam, were also referred on charges of receiving the cash, facing the same violations.
Police initially considered bribery charges but did not apply them after determining that the nomination process constitutes party affairs rather than official government duties. Bribery carries heavier penalties—a minimum five years imprisonment when amounts exceed 30 million won—compared to Political Funds Act violations, which carry maximum five years imprisonment or fines up to 10 million won.
A previously considered cross-examination between suspects also failed to materialize. Police have struggled to establish the truth amid conflicting accounts among key suspects including lawmaker Kang, former councilor Kim, and Nam. The face-to-face interrogation was strongly considered to assess the credibility of their contradictory statements but was ultimately abandoned.
Police had earlier sought arrest warrants for both Kang and Kim. The National Assembly voted to approve the arrest consent motion for sitting lawmaker Kang, passing with 164 in favor, 87 against, 3 abstentions, and 9 invalid votes out of 263 cast. The court subsequently issued the arrest warrant. Police questioned former councilor Kim on the 5th and lawmaker Kang on the 7th.
Police plan to separately investigate additional allegations that emerged during the probe, including suspected nomination bribes related to the Gangseo District mayoral by-election. Former councilor Kim is suspected of making split donations totaling 130 million won to lawmaker Kang before the 2023 Gangseo by-election. Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Park Jung-bo previously stated at a regular press briefing that "there are additional matters requiring investigation that may not be completed within the detention period" and that "necessary investigations will continue after the referral."
