Prosecutors file additional charges against Kang Sun-woo, former Seoul city councilwoman for political funds law violations; first-instance verdict in nomination bribery case set for Wednesday
Prosecutors have additionally indicted independent lawmaker Kang Sun-woo — a former member of the Democratic Party of Korea — and former Seoul city councilwoman Kim Kyung on charges of illegally splitting political donations. The indictment alleges that aides instructed donors to keep contributions below 3 million won ($2,240) per transaction to avoid public disclosure, and to return any donations that arrived on specific dates so as not to arouse suspicion from the National Election Commission or the media.
According to the indictment, obtained Thursday through the office of People Power Party lawmaker Ju Jin-woo, aides identified only as A and B decided in November 2022 to return donations that had arrived on consecutive dates from a pool of 110 million won, fearing the pattern would draw scrutiny from the National Election Commission and the press. A total of 82 million won from that pool was subsequently returned between November and December of that year.
The Public Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office — now reorganized as the Public and Criminal Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Public Prosecution Office, headed by Kim Hyeong-won — filed the additional charges against Kang and Kim on Sept. 14. Prosecutors allege that after the 2022 local elections, Kim borrowed the identities of dozens of people to funnel approximately 130 million won in donations to Kang's supporters' association across multiple transactions.
Under the Political Funds Act, no individual may donate more than 5 million won per year to a lawmaker's supporters' association, and donations made under another person's name are prohibited. According to the indictment, Kim gave Kang 100 million won in January 2022 in connection with securing a district nomination for a city council seat in the eighth local elections, and Kang returned the money in August of that year.
Prosecutors believe Kim then channeled the returned money back to Kang's side through split donations. The indictment states that in August 2022, Kim made donations to Kang's supporters' association using the names of her brother-in-law, her younger sibling, acquaintances, and acquaintances of her sibling. Prosecutors determined that Kim funneled a total of 110 million won to Kang's supporters' association using the identities of 23 people.
In November 2022, aides A and B decided to return donations that had arrived on consecutive dates, fearing the pattern would be flagged as split donations by the National Election Commission or the media. Of the 110 million won received, 82 million won was returned between November and December 2022. Prosecutors allege that in March 2023, an aide told donors it was safe to contribute again, instructing them to keep each donation below 3 million won because amounts of 5 million won or more are publicly disclosed.
Prosecutors further allege that Kim solicited another acquaintance, who in turn contributed under their own name and those of additional contacts, resulting in 14 million won donated under seven names in total. In 2024, prosecutors say Kim channeled an additional 21.8 million won to the supporters' association using the names of 10 people. Prosecutors concluded that aides A and B conspired in the split-donation scheme totaling approximately 130 million won between 2022 and 2024.
Kang and Kim were arrested and indicted in March on charges of exchanging a shopping bag containing 100 million won as payment for a city council nomination in January 2022. The first-instance sentencing hearing in that case is set for Wednesday. Prosecutors have sought four years in prison for Kang and two years for Kim.
bell@heraldcorp.com
