The Democratic Party of Korea said on the 4th that the "nomination donation bribery allegations" involving former floor leader Kim Byung-kee and lawmaker Kang Sun-woo were "deviations by individual figures." It added, "We will not conduct a full-scale review of the nomination process."
Cho Seung-rae, secretary-general of the Democratic Party, held a press briefing at the National Assembly that day. There, members of the press asked whether the party had plans for a full-scale review regarding allegations of money changing hands involving Kang during the 2022 local elections and the former floor leader Kim during the 2020 general election.
Cho said, "Rather than a systemic problem, we see these (related allegations) as deviations by individual figures." He added, "As of now, we are not considering investigating the nomination process overall."
Earlier, allegations were raised that ahead of the 2020 general election, the former floor leader Kim received money from former Dongjak District Council members and then returned it. Lee Su-jin, a former lawmaker who was eliminated from nomination in the 2024 general election, argued that she delivered a petition containing these allegations to aide Kim Hyun-ji in the office of Lee Jae-myung, who was then the party leader. Kang was forced to leave the party and expelled on the 1st over related allegations.
That day, Cho was also asked whether the former floor leader Kim's alleged receipt of money during the 2020 general election would fall under those surveyed by the party's Ethics Inspection Team and Ethics Tribunal. Cho said, "The facts of such claims have not been confirmed."
He added, "We believe the Ethics Tribunal needs to make a comprehensive judgment on the related allegations," and said, "If necessary, it can conduct an ex officio investigation, and we expect such procedures to proceed." He continued, "Regardless of the police investigation, the Ethics Tribunal will move as quickly as possible to decide independently whether to discipline (the former floor leader Kim)."
Regarding the process by which city councilor Kim Kyung, who is suspected of handing money to lawmaker Kang ahead of the 2022 local elections, was given a sole nomination during the election, Cho said, "Councilor Kim was subject to a detailed review for real estate speculation, and all three candidates were in a state of being cut off (excluded from nomination)." He added, "Unable to reach a decision and pressed for time, a conclusion was reached to grant a sole nomination after hearing the opinion of the local chair (lawmaker Kang Sun-woo)."
He went on, "We judge that the two competitors of Councilor Kim did not have moral flaws warranting being cut off." Cho said, "At the time, the nomination system appeared to most heavily respect the opinion of the local chair," and added, "This time, we will nominate based on standards and principles."