The Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice (CCEJ) said Kim Byung-kee, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stepping down from the post was "nothing more than cutting off the tail to shift the situation," and argued that investigative authorities must thoroughly probe the "allegations of cash-for-nomination" involving Democratic Party lawmaker Kang Sun-woo and Seoul City Council member Kim Kyung.
CCEJ stated accordingly in a statement on the 30th. The previous day, an audio file was released in which lawmaker Kang Sun-woo, who served as a nomination committee member of the Democratic Party's Seoul chapter during the 8th nationwide local elections three years ago, mentioned while on the phone with lawmaker Kim Byung-kee, who was then the committee secretary, circumstances that she had received money from Seoul City Council member Kim Kyung, who was set to run.
CCEJ said, "According to the published transcript, lawmaker Kang Sun-woo was aware that her aide had received 1 billion won in cash from City Council member Kim Kyung and that the secretary-general was keeping it, and she had even ascertained that immediately after the nomination results were announced, City Council member Kim Kyung called the aide and mentioned the matter."
It continued, "At the time, City Council member Kim Kyung faced 'ineligible' opinions within the nomination committee due to controversy over owning multiple homes, so it appears nomination pressure was applied through money, and in response (lawmaker Kang Sun-woo) seems to have discussed countermeasures with lawmaker Kim Byung-kee."
Lawmaker Kang Sun-woo explained that she learned of her staff's exchange of money later and immediately ordered it returned, but CCEJ, citing the transcript, pointed out that "rather than considering official follow-up procedures such as requesting an investigation, lawmaker Kang Sun-woo appears to have focused on discussing with a fellow lawmaker the contact from the provider of the money and the resulting pressure."
CCEJ said, "Even if (the exchange of money) was the unilateral act of an aide, as a sitting National Assembly member, she cannot be free from responsibility for managing her staff and from ethical responsibility as an elected official," adding, "Given that appropriate steps such as immediate reporting or a strict review of excluding the candidate from nomination did not follow, and that this ultimately led to a sole nomination for (City Council member Kim Kyung), it is enough to arouse public distrust in a major party's candidate vetting system."
CCEJ explained that giving or receiving money in exchange for a nomination falls under Article 47-2 of the Public Official Election Act (ban on receiving money in connection with party candidate recommendations), Article 32 of the Political Funds Act (restrictions on donations related to specific acts), and Article 357 of the Criminal Act (breach of trust and bribery). CCEJ said, "Investigative authorities must reveal, without a shadow of doubt, the source of funds, whether and when they were actually returned, the delivery route, and whether there was quid pro quo for the nomination."
CCEJ also urged the Democratic Party not to evade responsibility through the leadership's resignation but to launch a thorough fact-finding probe at the party level. CCEJ said, "The Democratic Party should immediately expel lawmaker Kim Byung-kee, who condoned the wrongdoing despite being aware of it, and lawmaker Kang Sun-woo, who is at the center of the cash-for-nomination controversy, and make public transparently the entire review process of the Seoul chapter's nomination committee at the time."