Kim Kyung Completes Fourth Round of Questioning... Police Secure List of "Split Donations"

Admits to Providing Money to Close Associate of Senior Democratic Party Member

Kim Kyung, a former Seoul City Council member who is under suspicion for allegedly providing 100 million won in nomination funds and lobbying to run in the by-election for Mayor of Gangseo District, has completed his fourth round of questioning after 14 hours. It has been reported that he admitted to giving several million won to a former Seoul City Council chair, who is considered a close associate of a Democratic Party lawmaker.

At around 1:49 a.m. on January 30, Kim Kyung left the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Major Crime Investigation Unit in Mapo-gu, Seoul, and stated, "I once again sincerely apologize," adding, "Today as well, I cooperated faithfully with the investigation." He did not respond to reporters' questions such as "What did you mainly clarify?" or "Did you provide money for the purpose of securing the nomination?"

Kim Kyung, former Seoul City Council member, is appearing for police questioning at the Public Crime Investigation Division of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on the 29th. Photo by Yonhap News.

The Public Crime Investigation Division of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency summoned Kim Kyung at around 10 a.m. the previous day and questioned him regarding suspicions that he attempted to lobby Assemblyman A, who was part of the Democratic Party leadership at the time, for a nomination ahead of the Gangseo District mayoral by-election in October 2023. During the investigation, Kim Kyung admitted to giving several million won to Yang, a former Seoul City Council chair and close associate of Assemblyman A. However, he reportedly denied that the money was in exchange for the nomination or constituted a bribe to Assemblyman A.

The police are said to have obtained a recorded file of a phone conversation between Kim Kyung and Kim Sungyeol, former chief supreme council member of the Reform Party and at the time a secretary to Democratic Party lawmaker Roh Woongrae, in June 2023. In the recording, Kim Kyung references giving money to Assemblyman A through Yang. The PC, belonging to Kim Kyung’s policy aide where this file was found, contains about 120 recorded calls involving Kim Kyung, former and current aides, and city council members, and has been dubbed the "golden PC."

The police are also investigating allegations that Kim Kyung made so-called "split donations" to seven or eight incumbent Democratic Party politicians using the names of relatives. They have secured a list of dozens of people suspected of making proxy donations to independent lawmaker Kang Sunwoo, including employees of Kim Kyung’s brother’s company, and are currently investigating them.

Kim Kyung is accused of delivering 100 million won to Assemblyman Kang in June 2022 in connection with the nomination for Seoul City Council (on charges including bribery). Since the police have re-examined discrepancies between the testimonies of Assemblyman Kang and his former chief secretary Nam, they are expected to soon decide whether to request an arrest warrant for Kim Kyung.