Kyungsillyeon Accuses Kim Hong-gul and Jo Su-jin of False Asset Reporting Allegations

The Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice held a press conference on the 28th in front of the Gwacheon office of the National Election Commission, requesting an investigation by the Election Commission into the inadequate verification of asset declarations during the registration of National Assembly candidates. On this day, the coalition urged the Election Commission to actively investigate Democratic Party lawmaker Choi Hye-young (judged to have omitted pre-sale rights), People Power Party lawmaker Han Mu-gyeong (handled 34 land parcels in one case), lawmaker Baek Jong-heon (handled 27 officetels in one case), lawmaker Lee Ju-hwan (reported 10 land parcels in two cases), and lawmaker Lee Yong (judged to have omitted a 100 million won bond). Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Cheol-eung] The Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice (CCEJ) announced on the 29th that it has filed a complaint with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office regarding allegations of false asset declarations by Kim Hong-gul, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Cho Su-jin, a member of the People Power Party.

CCEJ previously announced at the end of August that the difference between the declared assets of 175 members of the 21st National Assembly (154 first-term members, 21 re-registered members) at the time of candidate registration (March 26) and after election (August 28) amounted to 170 billion KRW, averaging a difference of 1 billion KRW per person.

CCEJ conducted an internal review of members whose declared asset differences were large and whose reasons for changes were unclear. During this process, it judged that the allegations of false asset declarations by Representative Kim and Representative Cho were strong and that a prosecutorial investigation was necessary. They cited Article 250 of the Public Official Election Act concerning the crime of false statement publication.

Regarding Representative Kim, it was stated that "there are suspicions of false entries by omitting half of the area and value of real estate located in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, suspicions of omission of pre-sale rights, and suspicions of omitting 1.16 billion KRW in spouse's deposits." In the case of Representative Cho, "there are suspicions of omitting 200 million KRW in personal deposits and 370 million KRW in spouse's deposits, as well as suspicions of omitting 500 million KRW in bonds held by the spouse."