Kim Byunggi Faces Additional Police Complaint Over Alleged Nomination Fund Scandal

Assemblyman Kim Byunggi of the Democratic Party of Korea has been additionally reported to the police following allegations that he received large political donations from politicians in his own constituency, Dongjak District in Seoul, and that these politicians were subsequently nominated as candidates.

Former Democratic Party floor leader Kim Byunggi, who is under suspicion of various corrupt practices including nomination bribery, is attending the Democratic Party Ethics Committee held at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul on January 12, 2026. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced on January 12 that it had received a complaint regarding "allegations of proxy donations to Assemblyman Kim Byunggi's political fund and political fund transactions related to candidate nominations."

The complaint names Assemblyman Kim, his aides at the time who are suspected of soliciting donations, the treasurer of Kim's political fundraising committee, politicians from Dongjak District, and the children of those politicians.

According to previous media reports, Assemblyman Kim received large donations-each exceeding 10 million won per person-from politicians in Dongjak District between 2017 and 2024. These individuals were subsequently nominated as candidates for positions such as Dongjak District Mayor and Seoul Metropolitan Councilor. This has led to suspicions that the donations may have been political funds given in exchange for nominations. In one case, it is reported that a politician who became a candidate for Dongjak District Mayor made a large donation under their child's name.

This case is expected to be handled by the Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

With this additional complaint, the number of cases related to Assemblyman Kim that will be investigated by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has reached a total of 24. Previously, Commissioner Park Jeongbo of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency stated at a regular press briefing on this day that 23 complaints concerning 12 allegations against Assemblyman Kim had already been filed.