Independent Rep. Kang Seon-woo. Yonhap News
Independent lawmaker Kang Seon-woo, who was subject to an arrest warrant on charges of violating the Political Fund Act, sent a friendly message to fellow lawmakers. While explaining in detail the various issues surrounding the nomination donation suspicion, he expressed his intention to “fulfill my responsibilities without hiding or avoiding them.”
According to the CBS Nocut News coverage on the 10th, Representative Kang, who left the Democratic Party of Korea, sent a friendly message to Democratic Party members this afternoon and apologized, saying, “I bow my head in apology for causing concern to the member. It is all my immorality and recklessness.”
He continued, “I am worried that it will seem like an excuse, but I am posting this letter because I think it is the minimum duty to explain the whole incident to at least my seniors and fellow lawmakers,” and added, “I also want to address and correct the differences from what has been made known to the world through reports.”
Rep. Kang emphasized, “100 million won is not worth risking my political career or my life for. I did not start politics with a grand goal,” and added, “I wanted to create a world where there is no need to say, ‘I have to live at least a day longer than my developmentally disabled child.'”
Regarding the suspicion of donation of 100 million won, he said, “In January of that year, when preparations for the March 2022 presidential election were in full swing, I was so hectic that I didn’t know how each day passed. My aide said he would introduce me to a good person, so I met former city council member Kim Kyung.” explained.
He said, “And at the meeting of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s official committee on April 20, 2022, as a city council member of Gangseo’s 1st constituency, I proposed, ‘I will find a young female candidate and run a great election.'” He added, “Immediately, I received a strong protest call from candidate Kim Kyung.” Rep. Kang confessed, “It was only then that I realized that the gift I had received in the past was worth 100 million won,” and “I ordered my aide to immediately return the money, and I also immediately told the secretary of the diplomatic committee.”
Representative Kang said, “I was very distressed at the time, but I attended the meeting of the diplomatic committee on April 22, thinking that I had to fulfill my duties as a member of the diplomatic committee. During the meeting, when the moderator asked, ‘What did Gangseo Gap decide to do?’, I honestly reported, ‘I looked for young people and women, but it is not easy to find the right person.’ From an objective standpoint, I answered in favor of candidate Kim Kyung, who had a score far ahead of the existing candidates.” He went on to explain the situation at the time, saying, “In the end, after discussion and resolution by the diplomatic committee, Candidate Kim Kyung was decided as a single-nomination candidate. Unsuccessful applicants filed objections, but they were rejected because their scores were much higher than other candidates. Out of 101 candidates for the constituency of the Seoul City Council, 85 were single-nomination candidates.”
Independent Rep. Kang Seon-woo. Reporter Ryu Young-joo
Regarding the suspicion that the deposit was raised through nomination donations, he said, “It is not true at all,” and appealed, “My father-in-law passed away on March 10, 2022, and my husband, who is a lawyer, received quite a lot of donations, and we only used that to cover the deposit.”
He also emphasized that he realized that the gift given by former city council member Kim was money and attempted to return it several times. Representative Kang said, “I tried several times to return 100 million won to Kyung Kim through my aide, but it was not easy. In the end, I met Kyung Kim in person and returned the 100 million won.” “At the time, I remember Kyung Kim telling me that if he had known he would return the money, he would not have come to the meeting,” he said. “After that, he tried to give me money in the form of donations or gifts, but I continued to immediately return it or refuse it.”
Regarding the suspicion of split sponsorship, he explained, “Around October 2022, a large amount of 5 million won each was deposited into the sponsorship account, and when I checked with the aide, the sponsors said that they had sponsored based on Kim Kyung’s recommendation,” and added, “A total of 82 million won was returned.” He also added, “A similar incident occurred around December 2023, so all 50 million won was returned.”
In addition, he appealed, “If I had asked for 100 million won, there would be no way we would have met at a prominent hotel coffee shop. There would be no way in which the diplomatic mission would suddenly suggest that ‘I will run an election with flying colors as a young woman.’ There is no reason to report the fact that I received the money to the secretary of the diplomatic committee, and there is no reason to return the 100 million won by going through a difficult process. If I requested the donation and received it in installments, there is no reason to check it one by one and return it.”
He said, “I won’t say it’s unfair. I should have been more careful and stricter. The fact that my senses were dull and my boundaries were loose are all my responsibility and responsibility,” and added, “I will fulfill that responsibility without hiding or avoiding it. I will face it confidently and humbly.”
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office requested arrest warrants for Rep. Kang and former City Councilor Kim the previous day (10th). Representative Kang is suspected of violating the Political Funds Act, breach of trust, and violation of the Anti-Graft Act, while former city council member Kim is suspected of violating the Political Funds Act, breach of trust, and violation of the Anti-Graft Act.
In the case of Representative Kang, who has the privilege of not being arrested, the interrogation of the suspect (substantive warrant review) before arrest is not held immediately. Since incumbent lawmakers cannot be arrested or detained without the consent of the National Assembly during a session, the prosecution receives a request for arrest consent from the court, sends it to the Ministry of Justice, and transfers it to the National Assembly with presidential approval. A motion for arrest is passed if a majority of the registered members are present and a majority of the members present agree. If the arrest motion is passed, it is expected that the warrant will be reviewed in court.
date: 2026-02-10 04:45:00
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