Former Seoul city councilor Kim Kyung and National Assembly Rep. Kang Sun-woo were arrested Tuesday, after a court issued arrest warrants for the two on bribery allegations.
The prosecution asserts that Kim made an illegal transaction of 100 million won ($68,000) to Kang, then a lawmaker with the now ruling Democratic Party of Korea, ahead of the 2022 local elections. This is believed to have been in exchange for Kang's support for Kim's nomination as the Democratic Party candidate for a Seoul City Council seat.
Kim was nominated and won the councillorship as the sole candidate for her constituency.
The Seoul Central District Court said there is a substantial risk that the suspects would try to destroy the evidence of crime, as it approved the prosecution's warrant request for the pair made last month. The respective warrant hearings for Kim and Kang were held earlier Tuesday. Neither made any comments concerning their charges.
Potential charges for the two include bribery by breach of trust, a violation of the Political Funds Acts and Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.
Kang has said that she was unaware that a shopping bag she received from Kim contained cash, and that she returned the money upon learning such information three months later.
Kim, on the other hand, reportedly confessed to the charges and said she handed over the funds after consulting with Kang's former aide, surnamed Nam. Nam has also reportedly confessed to the charges.
Kim also said in her statement that the illegal payment was made upon the demand of Kang.
With the scandal coming to light in January, Kim resigned from her post and Kang was expelled from the ruling party, though she remains an independent lawmaker.
The National Assembly passed a motion consenting to Kang's arrest on Feb. 24. Sitting lawmakers are immune from arrest while parliament is in session, but can be detained with parliamentary consent.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
