Choi Young-jung, accused of having sex with a middle school girl, received 2.3 million won in salary for 16 days of service

[Financial News] Former Cheongju city councilor Choi Young-jung, who is under police investigation on suspicion of prostitution involving a minor and other charges, was found to have received the full amount of his council compensation for 16 days in office.
According to KBS and others on the 23rd, the Cheongju City Council paid Choi about 2.3 million won before tax on the 20th, combining 770,000 won in council activity expenses and 1.53 million won in monthly allowances. Although he did not carry out any actual council work, the payment was calculated on a pro rata basis for the 16 days he served.
Choi took office as a member of the 4th Cheongju City Council on the 1st of this month, but resigned on the 16th, the day after the police search and seizure. That marks the shortest term in the council's history.
Council compensation for local lawmakers is divided into council activity expenses, which cover the collection and research of legislative materials and related support work, and monthly allowances, which function as a basic salary.
The relevant ordinance states that if a lawmaker is detained after indictment, council activity expenses, monthly allowances and travel expenses are not to be paid. Choi was not detained and stepped down on his own, so he was not subject to that restriction. The council had initially reviewed whether salary payments should be withheld, but it reportedly decided to pay him after determining that the ordinance did not apply.
A Cheongju City Council official explained, "We paid the council activity expenses and monthly allowances in accordance with the ordinance on council activity expense payments for city councilors."
Choi is also reported to have filed a claim with the National Election Commission (NEC) to have about 40 million won in election expenses reimbursed. As he does not fall under the restrictions on expense reimbursement under the Public Official Election Act, the amount is expected to be reimbursed later this month after review by the NEC.
Meanwhile, Choi has been under police investigation on charges including repeated sexual intercourse with a middle school student in vehicles and motels two to three times over a one-year period starting in October 2024, as well as producing sexual exploitation material, under the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth Against Sexual Abuse, including quasi-rape of a minor. The People Power Party Chungcheongbuk-do Provincial Party expelled Choi on the 20th.
[email protected] Kim Soo-yeon Reporter