Kang Sun-woo makes first police appearance over alleged 100 million won nomination bribe: “I have lived a life that keeps to my principles”

[Financial News] Kang Sun-woo, an independent lawmaker accused of receiving 100 million won in a nomination bribe from Seoul Metropolitan Council member Kim Kyung, appeared before police and was questioned for the first time. This comes 22 days after the nomination-bribe allegation first emerged.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Public Crime Investigation Division summoned Kang as a suspect at around 9:00 a.m. on the 20th on suspicion of violating the Political Funds Act and other charges, and is currently questioning her. Kang arrived at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Metropolitan Investigation Unit building in Mapo District, Seoul, at about 8:56 a.m. that day and proceeded directly to the interrogation room.
Before entering, when asked by reporters, “This is your first appearance; what do you plan to say?”, Kang replied, “I sincerely apologize for causing concern to the public over this matter,” adding, “I will faithfully undergo questioning and tell the truth exactly as it is.” She went on to say, “I have principles in my life, and I have lived a life that keeps to those principles.”
After that, Kang entered the interrogation room without answering additional questions such as, “Did you personally receive the 100 million won nomination bribe?” and “After receiving the money, did you in any way help secure the nomination for Seoul Metropolitan Council member Kim Kyung?”
Kang is suspected of having received 100 million won from Seoul Metropolitan Council member Kim Kyung ahead of the 2022 local elections in return for securing a party nomination for a Seoul Metropolitan Council seat, and then later returning the money. The allegation surfaced after, on December 29 last year, an audio recording was released in which Kang and lawmaker Kim Byung-ki, who at the time served as secretary of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Seoul Metropolitan Party Candidate Nomination Committee, discussed how to respond to the alleged exchange of a nomination bribe.
In the questioning scheduled for the day, police plan to focus on whether Kang actually received the 100 million won, whether she was aware of the money at the time it was handed over, when and under what circumstances it was returned, and whether there was any quid pro quo involving the nomination. If the 100 million won was indeed returned, investigators are also expected to look into why Kim still went on to receive a single-candidate nomination afterward.
Kang has consistently maintained that “the exchange of money was a matter between former secretary-general Mr. Nam and Council member Kim, and I only received a report afterward and immediately ordered the money to be returned,” insisting that there was no exchange of money in return for a nomination.
However, the statements given by Council member Kim and Mr. Nam have conflicted. Kim is reported to have told police that it was Nam who first proposed the nomination bribe, demanded 100 million won using the expression “one sheet,” and that he delivered the money directly to Kang. Nam, on the other hand, is said to have denied both proposing a nomination bribe and delivering any money, stating instead that “I only loaded an unidentified item into a car on Kang’s instructions.”
Before summoning Kang, police questioned Council member Kim three times as a suspect and also summoned former secretary-general Nam three times for questioning. An attempt to conduct a face-to-face cross-examination between Kim and Nam was made, but it fell through after Kim’s side refused to participate.
Based on Kang’s statement in the day’s questioning, police plan to review whether to summon her again, whether to seek custody of any related figures, and how to set the direction of the investigation going forward.
425_sama@fnnews.com Choi Seung-han Reporter