[Exclusive] People Power Party Faces Nomination Bribe Controversy: Gwanak-gu B Constituency Chief Reported

[The Financial News] Allegations of a "nomination bribe" have emerged inside the People Power Party (PPP) ahead of the June 3 local elections. The current PPP Gwanak-gu B constituency chapter head has been reported to police on suspicion of paying a nomination bribe to the then Gwanak-gu Gap constituency chapter head in 2022 in order to secure the party’s nomination for Mayor of Gwanak District. A written complaint has also been filed with the PPP central headquarters and the Seoul Metropolitan Chapter, and the Seoul Metropolitan Chapter Clean Nomination Support Team is said to be verifying the facts. As the local elections approach, internal conflict over alleged cash-for-nomination deals is surfacing.
According to political sources on the 17th, Seoul Gwanak Police Station has received a complaint against Lee Sung-sim, the PPP Gwanak-gu B constituency chapter head, on charges of violating the Political Funds Act and the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act. Seoul Gwanak Police Station has accepted the case and launched an investigation.
Lee ran as a preliminary candidate for Mayor of Gwanak District in the June 2022 local elections. She is suspected of having paid a nomination bribe to Kang Min-gu, then head of the Gwanak-gu Gap constituency chapter, in order to secure the party’s nomination at the time.
According to the complaint obtained by this newspaper, Kang wrote the following in his personal notebook on February 20: "Skipped all campaign activities and met with Lee Sung-sim. Brought back a wad of cash." In an audio recording from 2022, a conversation between Kang and a party member includes the remark, "It’s true that money went back and forth." A photo of the notebook entry has been submitted to police, and the recording is expected to be handed over during the investigation at a later stage.
Local political figures claim that Lee has a prior record of paying a nomination bribe. They argue that, because she may again wield influence over nominations in the upcoming June 3 local elections, an investigation is needed to ensure fairness.
There are also accounts that the Seoul Metropolitan Chapter Candidate Nomination Committee conducted an inquiry into Kang just before the 2022 local elections. A former member of the committee said in a phone interview, "As I recall, Kang resigned on his own at the time because there was a lot of noise surrounding his management of the constituency chapter, including the use of chapter operating funds."
Party members in the Gwanak area have again raised issue with Lee’s past alleged nomination bribe and have sent written complaints to the party’s central headquarters and the Seoul Metropolitan Chapter. The Seoul Metropolitan Chapter Clean Nomination Support Team is reportedly in the process of checking the facts.
Lee, the accused, has denied all allegations. In a phone call, she said, "At the time, I had no intention of running, but Kang came to see me three times and urged me to run," adding, "He did not even have the authority to grant nominations, so why would I give him money?" She continued, "I take pride in having conducted clean politics for a long time."
haeram@fnnews.com Lee Hae-ram Reporter