Kang Sun-woo, an independent lawmaker, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison and taken into custody after being convicted of accepting 100 million won in exchange for a nomination in local elections. The court dismissed Kang's claims that his aide received the money without his knowledge, determining that the funds were linked to a request for a nomination.
On October 14, Judge Lee Chun-geun of the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Kang for violating the Political Fund Law and ordered him to forfeit 100 million won. Kim Kyung, a former Seoul city councilor who provided the money, received a one-year prison sentence, while Kang's former aide, identified only as Nam, was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years.
Kang and Kim, who had been released on bail on September 22, were taken back into custody due to concerns over evidence tampering and flight risks.
The court noted that Kang held significant influence as the head of the Democratic Party's Gangseo-gu nomination committee at the time. It stated, "It is reasonable to conclude that he conspired with Nam to receive a shopping bag containing 100 million won from Kim in exchange for assistance with the nomination."
The court acknowledged that Kang actively supported Kim during the nomination review process and used the money for a rental deposit.
Kang had previously claimed that Nam acted independently in receiving the money and made false statements to cover it up. However, the court rejected this argument, stating, "If Nam had secretly received 100 million won, there would be no reason for him to have Kim bring a shopping bag to a hotel."
The court found Kim's testimony to be consistent and detailed, noting that such specificity would be difficult to fabricate without direct experience. While there were minor discrepancies in Nam's statements regarding the timing and method of the transfer, the court deemed them to be within a natural range considering the limits of memory.
The court criticized the illegal acceptance of political funds for distorting the candidate recommendation process, stating, "This undermines the fairness of the electoral system and seriously damages public trust."
In its sentencing, the court cited several aggravating factors for Kang, including the large sum of 100 million won received, his lack of remorse, and the personal use of the funds. The confessions of Kim and Nam were considered mitigating factors.
Kang was charged with receiving 100 million won from Kim in January 2022 at a hotel in Yongsan, Seoul, in exchange for a nomination. At that time, Kang was a member of the Democratic Party's nomination committee for Seoul city council candidates, while Kim was nominated unopposed in Gangseo-gu and subsequently elected.
Following the ruling, Kang's legal team announced plans to appeal. Both men are also facing additional charges for allegedly splitting donations totaling over 130 million won among multiple individuals.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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