Police Conduct Face-to-Face Interrogation Between Kim Byunggi's Closest Aide and Former Dongjak District Council Member Over Nomination Fund Allegations

The police conducted a face-to-face interrogation with a former Dongjak District Council member, who is suspected of delivering a nomination fund to independent lawmaker Kim Byunggi, and Lee Jihee, Vice Chairperson of the Dongjak District Council, who is suspected of acting as an intermediary. Lee is known as a close aide to Assemblyman Kim.

Independent lawmaker Byungki Kim, who is facing 13 allegations including bribery, is appearing on February 27, 2026, at the Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Mapo-gu, Seoul, for questioning. February 27, 2026, Yonhap News Agency.

According to the police on February 28, the Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency summoned both the former council member, Jeon, who had submitted a petition regarding the nomination fund, and Lee, Kim's close aide, the previous afternoon. For about two hours, they conducted a face-to-face investigation into the circumstances surrounding the suspected delivery of the nomination fund.

Jeon submitted a petition to the Democratic Party leadership in December 2023, stating that he had given political donations to Kim’s camp and received the money back after the general election. In his petition, he claimed that prior to the 2020 general election, he handed over 10 million won to Kim’s spouse in the parking lot of Dongjak District Office, and that Lee returned the money to him at Kim’s local office after the election.

During this process, Lee is suspected of acting as an intermediary, including by calling Jeon and requesting cash, saying, "Give me the money you mentioned to Assemblyman Kim's wife last time."

However, Lee has denied some of these allegations. In response, the police summoned both parties to compare their statements, and it is reported that they also questioned Assemblyman Kim, who was summoned for a second time the previous day, about the same facts.

Previously, the police summoned Assemblyman Kim as a suspect for two consecutive days starting from February 26, conducting a high-intensity investigation that lasted more than 28 hours. The police plan to analyze Kim’s first and second statements to determine the direction of the investigation. They may immediately seek to take him into custody, or, if there are any investigative gaps, may conduct a third round of questioning.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.