Prosecutors Conclude:
"Not Considered as Election Funds"
Kim San, the governor of Muan County, who had been under suspicion of accepting bribes, has been cleared of all charges.
On the 26th, the Mokpo Branch of the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office announced that Kim San, who had been referred for prosecution on charges of bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes, was not indicted. However, five others, including public officials and company representatives who were also referred without detention on the same charge, have been indicted without detention.
Kim and others were suspected of exchanging 80 million won in bribes, equivalent to 10% of the value, during the process of awarding a government construction supply contract worth approximately 800 million won just before the 2022 local elections.
The police focused on whether part of the bribe was used as election funds for Kim, but this could not be confirmed. The prosecution also investigated on the premise that Kim received money from company officials as election funds, but ultimately decided not to indict him.
On the other hand, two public officials were indicted without detention on the grounds that they received 80 million won in bribes, and two company representatives who gave the bribes were also indicted without detention.
Another individual indicted alongside them was also charged without detention for violating the Political Funds Act and other offenses.
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