Police on the 23rd summoned for the fourth time a former aide to independent lawmaker Kang Sun-woo, a person surnamed Nam, who is suspected of receiving 100 million won in nomination kickbacks.
Nam left for home at about 9:40 p.m. that day after nearly 13 hours of questioning. Nam gave no answers to reporters' questions such as "Have the conflicting statements so far been sorted out?" and "What do you think of Rep. Kang's statement?"
Police reportedly re-examined the situation with Nam, who attended the meeting where money and valuables were delivered between Rep. Kang and Seoul City Council member Kim Kyung, and intensely questioned parts that did not match the statement given by Rep. Kang, who appeared on the 20th.
Rep. Kang is suspected of receiving 100 million won that Councilor Kim handed over in return for a nomination ahead of the 2022 local elections through then–secretary general, a person surnamed Nam. Rep. Kang has claimed that the money transaction was only between the city councilor Kim and Nam, and that Kang ordered an immediate return upon being briefed afterward.
In particular, Kang's position is that although a shopping bag was received from the city councilor Kim, Kang did not know it contained money or valuables. The claim is that around April of that year, when an attempt was made to give the local election nomination to someone else and the city councilor Kim protested, Kang realized that the contents of the shopping bag kept at home were 100 million won.
By contrast, Nam previously told police that Rep. Kang was aware of the 100 million won and used it for a jeonse deposit.
Police are said to view as less credible Rep. Kang's statement that the shopping bag, whose contents were unknown, was kept at home for three months without being opened. Based on Nam's statement, police plan to consider requesting arrest warrants for Rep. Kang and other figures involved in the case.