Prosecution Indicts Park Seongman, North Gyeongsang Provincial Council Chairman, on Billion-Won Bribery Charges

Park Seongman, chairman of the North Gyeongsang Provincial Council, who is accused of accepting bribes from a local businessman, has been indicted and will stand trial while in detention.

On May 26, the Second Public Investigation Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, led by Chief Prosecutor Cho Minwoo, indicted Park and another individual on charges of violating the Political Funds Act and third-party bribery, among other offenses.

Chairman Park is accused of receiving 85 million won in political funds from a local construction businessman surnamed Song, and of accepting an additional 45 million won along with a request to deliver the money to a member of the Urban Planning Committee in connection with Song's apartment development project. He is also accused of receiving a set of golf clubs and a golf bag after being asked to help ensure the smooth progress of Song's business.

The Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency applied for an arrest warrant for Chairman Park on April 30, and Presiding Judge Park Jeongho of the Seoul Central District Court issued the warrant. After Park was taken into custody, the police referred his case to the prosecution on May 8.

The prosecution stated, "This case is a typical example of local entrenched corruption, in which a provincial council member used his status and influence as a politician to receive large sums of political funds and bribes from a prominent local businessman. Such actions seriously undermine the sound development of the local self-government system and erode public trust in the fairness and integrity of official duties, causing significant harm to our society."

A prosecution official added, "The prosecution will continue to respond strictly to local entrenched corruption and other forms of misconduct, thoroughly recover criminal proceeds from the defendant, and ensure that punishment commensurate with the seriousness of the crime is imposed by maintaining the prosecution's case to the fullest extent."