Hwang Bo-seung-hee: "'Illegal Political Funds' Allegation Is One-Sided Claim by Ex-Husband"

"I am a Victim of Domestic Violence
Ex-Husband Still Engages in Private Retaliation"

On the 15th, Hwang Bo-seung-hee, a member of the People Power Party, strongly denied the allegations of "illegal political fund acceptance" surrounding her, stating, "The police have been investigating for over a year based solely on the one-sided claims of my ex-husband who is trying to take revenge on me."

On the same day, Hwang posted on Facebook, "I am a victim of domestic violence. My ex-husband started with verbal fights a few months after our second daughter was born, swept the dining table, and strangled me," adding, "Since I became a member of the National Assembly and gathered the courage to ask for a divorce, the violence, verbal abuse, and threats against me, my parents, and my siblings have worsened." She also shared photos of wounds that appeared to be from beatings and torn clothes.

She wrote, "I could endure being hit because it was my problem, but he threw a fan at my 70-year-old mother, punched her until her whole body was bruised, and destroyed my parents' house," adding, "When the police arrived following a neighbor's report, I asked them not to punish him because he was still my husband, which I regret deeply."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Furthermore, Hwang claimed that the current allegations stem from her ex-husband's "personal revenge" due to domestic violence. She said, "We divorced by mutual consent in 2021. After he took everything he could from the property division, he reported me to the party just five days later," adding, "He threatened to continue harassing me if I did not leave the party, and even now, he is exacting personal revenge on me and my children through direct and indirect lies, extortion, and threats."

Hwang stated, "Even the Democratic Party has joined in, saying they will file an ethics complaint against me over the nomination bribe based solely on my ex-husband's one-sided claims. My private life, which should be protected, is being indiscriminately exposed at the center of political strife, and even former aides who have left are joining in," and pleaded, "Please help me escape this endless harassment." Previously, the People Power Party's Party Affairs Audit Committee resolved on the 13th to conduct a party investigation into Hwang, and the Democratic Party decided the following day to consider filing a complaint against her with the National Assembly's Ethics Special Committee.

The Busan Metropolitan Police Agency is investigating allegations that Hwang accepted money and goods as a bribe for nominations from district councilors and city councilors in her electoral district, Jung-gu and Yeongdo-gu, Busan, before last year's local elections. In April of last year, a Busan civic group filed a complaint against Hwang regarding these allegations. Recently, the police questioned Hwang's ex-husband as a witness, and it is reported that he submitted a photo of a list to the police, which appears to record the names and amounts of money given to Hwang by those who provided bribes during the election.

Additionally, the police are investigating allegations that Hwang received tens of millions of won in cash, credit cards, luxury bags, and apartments from Mr. A, the chairman of a real estate development company. On the same day, a media outlet raised suspicions that Mr. A privately used Hwang's official vehicle, aides, and office security. Although Mr. A and Hwang have not registered their marriage, they claim to be in a de facto marital relationship. Hwang did not mention these allegations in her Facebook statement.

City and district councilors and the district mayor of Jung-gu and Yeongdo-gu, affiliated with the People Power Party, held a press conference on the same day to deny the allegations related to Hwang's illegal political fund acceptance. They stated, "We express deep regret over the allegations that Hwang accepted money as a bribe for nominations from candidates running in the local elections and declare that these allegations are completely unfounded."