[Political Reset] "Political Corruption" Has Crossed the Threshold

Is the recent party nomination bribery scandal an isolated incident? Is it highly unusual? It is not. Rather, it is a case that symbolically demonstrates that political corruption has reached a critical point. While no one spoke openly about it, activities that were quietly taking place behind the scenes have come to light by chance. Although not every case can be included, the structure in which city, provincial, county, and district council members make "tribute payments" to National Assembly members in exchange for nominations has become normalized in the political sphere. This is why many have lamented, "Is this still happening?" It has even led to the saying, "The district mayor pays 50 million won, city council members pay 30 million won, and district council members pay 20 million won."

There are various forms. First, there are cases where money is handed over directly. For example, there are allegations that Kim Kyung, a member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, gave 100 million won to Assemblywoman Kang Sunwoo, and that two members of the Dongjak District Council gave 30 million won to Assemblyman Kim Byungki. This involves secretly passing cash. While investigations are ongoing, these cases have already gone beyond mere suspicion. There are also cases of tribute disguised as legality, such as making large political donations. Legally, there may be no issue, but who can say these are not actually tribute payments? Sometimes, large sums are given under the pretext of book publication events or family occasions. There are also cases where tribute is paid through labor instead of money, such as acting like a housekeeper and handling the National Assembly member’s personal affairs. According to one political insider, "Sometimes they pay for meals or even hand over their credit cards." There have also been stories of people renovating homes, replacing furniture, or paying for a lawmaker’s child’s overseas education expenses.

Could this be the secret behind the annual increase in lawmakers’ assets? According to the 2024 asset change reports of National Assembly members, as of December 31, 2024, 231 out of 299 lawmakers, or 77.3%, saw their assets increase. As many as 150 lawmakers saw their wealth grow by between 100 million and 500 million won in a single year. The annual salary for a National Assembly member is about 150 million won. While there could be other reasons, such as rising real estate values, suspicions remain. At least National Assembly members are subject to high public scrutiny from the media and their political rivals.

What about city, provincial, county, and district council members? In short, there is no functioning system to check corruption. This is especially likely in regions outside the capital area or in places where a particular party holds strong influence. The distinction between the ruling and opposition parties is relatively weak, and local media, which depend on municipal PR budgets, are not vigilant. The eyes of law enforcement rarely reach these areas, and civic groups are even less visible. This is why a "kingdom of their own," transcending party lines and centered around those who control the budget, is created.

There are countless cases where taxes are wasted without anyone knowing how the money was spent. Sometimes, the ruling and opposition parties collude to share the spoils. Since basic council members are allowed to hold other jobs, it is not uncommon for them to link their legislative activities to their own businesses. For example, they may ensure that government printing orders or construction contracts go to companies they own, or allow public facilities to move into buildings they possess. This is "political business, business politics."

The pursuit of personal gain through politics is becoming increasingly rampant. Max Weber’s idea of "politics as a vocation" is nowhere to be found. While there is much talk about prosecutorial and judicial reform, few speak of political reform. Now is the time for extraordinary measures to eradicate political corruption.