It was found that Seoul City Council member Kim Kyung collected more than 6.4 million won in pay even in January, when the member was effectively suspended from council activities while under investigation over alleged "nomination bribery."
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Council on the 28th, Kim received 6,403,490 won as January pay. That is the sum of a 2 million won council activity allowance and a 4,403,490 won monthly salary for this year.
Kim has been under police investigation on suspicion of handing 100 million won to Rep. Kang Sun-woo of the Democratic Party of Korea ahead of the June 2022 local elections. The suspicion first surfaced late last month when a recording between Rep. Kang and Rep. Kim Byung-kee was released, and Kim, who had been staying in the United States, returned and was questioned by police three times. The member was barely able to perform council duties in January this year but still received full pay.
The Seoul Metropolitan Council's Special Ethics Committee decided the previous day to discipline Kim with "expulsion." However, the longer it takes to finalize the measure with a plenary vote, the more pay Kim is expected to receive.
A disciplinary motion passes only with the approval of at least two-thirds of all council members at a plenary session. The council's first session of the year will run from Feb. 24 to March 13. If a separate "one-point" session is not convened solely to expel Kim, and Kim also avoids being detained, the member could receive additional activity allowance and monthly salary prorated for the remaining period.
Kim submitted a resignation letter to the chair of the Seoul Metropolitan Council on the 26th, a day before the ethics committee meeting. It has not yet been accepted in consideration of the disciplinary process.
In a statement, Kim said, "With a heart as if cutting to the bone, I reflect and intend to take responsibility by resigning from the council." Kim added, "I will reveal the truth without any concealment and willingly accept legal punishment commensurate with the wrongdoing," and said, "I believe that is the minimum duty owed to the citizens."