Former Seoul City Council member Kim Kyung, who has faced allegations of bribery for nominations as well as lobbying to run for the Gangseo-gu chief in Seoul, appeared before police on the 29th.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Public Crime Investigation Unit summoned the former council member at 9:40 a.m. that day as a suspect on charges including offering bribes and is under investigation. Starting with the first summons on the 11th, this is the fourth questioning.
After arriving at the Mapo building of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency that day, the former council member said, "I apologize for causing concern to the public," and added, "All I can do now is faithfully comply with the investigation." The former council member did not answer questions such as whether "there were donations to lawmakers other than Rep. Kang Sun-woo."
Police are expected to question the alleged lobbying for the nomination in the 2023 Seoul Gangseo-gu by-election involving the former council member and a person surnamed Yang, a former Seoul City Council chair, which was referred by the Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission.
From a former aide's PC obtained by police, about 120 recordings of the former council member's phone calls were found. It is also reported to include content in which the former council member and Yang allegedly discussed providing a nomination donation to Rep. A, then in the Democratic Party leadership.
Police also plan to further verify allegations that ahead of the 2022 local elections, the former council member handed 1 billion won to Rep. Kang Sun-woo, then with the Democratic Party of Korea. During questioning of Rep. Kang, a former chief of staff surnamed Nam, and the former council member, there were parts where their statements conflicted.
The former council member submitted a resignation letter on the 26th, which was accepted the day before. Seoul Metropolitan Council Chair Choi Ho-jung said the resignation was accepted to avoid paying additional compensation because it would take about a month for the disciplinary action of "expulsion" against the council member to be finalized.