Seoul Council Member Kim Kyung in ‘Nomination Bribe’ Case to Return Today, Plans Voluntary Appearance

[Financial News] Seoul Metropolitan Council member Kim Kyung, who is suspected of having handed 100 million won to independent politician Kang Sun-woo, is scheduled to return to Korea on the afternoon of the 11th. Police are reportedly considering questioning Kim without taking him into custody, allowing him to voluntarily appear for questioning instead.
According to police and other sources, Kim had initially been expected to arrive on the morning of the 12th, but he changed his flight and will now land at Incheon International Airport this afternoon. The specific flight details have not been disclosed.
The reason police are said to be leaning toward a voluntary appearance rather than an arrest is that Kim has been partially cooperating with the investigation, including submitting a written statement through his attorney. In a recent personal statement filed with the police, Kim reportedly claimed that ahead of the 2022 local elections he delivered 100 million won to the camp of Kang Sun-woo, who at the time belonged to the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), but later received the money back.
However, Kim’s return and the manner in which he will be questioned have also fueled broader controversy over how the investigation is being handled. Kim left for the United States of America (U.S.) on December 31 last year, just two days after a criminal complaint was filed over the alleged nomination bribe, saying he was going to visit his child. It later emerged that he attended the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), an IT and home appliance trade fair held in Las Vegas on the 6th local time, prompting criticism that he had effectively fled abroad.
During his stay in the U.S., Kim was also found to have repeatedly deleted and re-registered his Telegram account, raising concerns about possible destruction of evidence. In connection with this, police are in the process of obtaining his telecommunications records.
Police plan to impose an immediate travel ban on Kim as soon as he arrives and intend to summon him as a suspect for questioning either right after his return or at the earliest possible date. Investigators will review his written statement, communications data and witness testimony to examine the nomination bribe allegations in their entirety.

425_sama@fnnews.com Choi Seung-han Reporter