Police seek arrest warrants in nomination donation case

Feb 06, 2026, 07:33 am

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Rep. Kang Sun-woo (left) and former Seoul City Council member Kim Kyung. / Yonhap

Police have applied for arrest warrants for independent lawmaker Kang Sun-woo and former Seoul City Council member Kim Kyung over allegations involving illicit donations tied to candidate nominations.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Public Crimes Investigation Unit said it filed warrant applications around 9 a.m. Wednesday, citing suspected violations of the Political Funds Act and the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, as well as breach of trust involving receipt of bribes.

According to police, Kang is suspected of receiving 100 million won from Kim at a hotel in Yongsan, Seoul, in January 2022 ahead of local elections, in exchange for securing Kim a nomination as a Seoul Gangseo District council candidate, then under the Democratic Party. Kang has claimed he merely received a shopping bag without knowing it contained cash. Police, however, said there are significant discrepancies between his account and statements by a former secretary-general surnamed Nam and by Kim, warranting detention.

Investigators initially considered applying bribery charges under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, but concluded the nomination process constituted party affairs rather than official public duties. Accordingly, they applied charges of breach of trust involving receipt and provision of benefits, which apply when a person handling another’s affairs obtains property or pecuniary benefits in connection with improper solicitation.

A police official said authorities would continue to review whether bribery charges could be applied at the final referral stage following additional questioning and legal analysis.

The probe gained momentum late last year after an audio recording surfaced in which Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Byung-gi is heard discussing that Kang should grant a nomination because she had received 100 million won from Kim.

Kim Kyung, considered a key figure in the case, is reported to have abruptly traveled to the United States, where he stayed and deleted messenger records. Kang was questioned only after being expelled from the Democratic Party, fueling controversy over the pace and resolve of the investigation.

If prosecutors seek a warrant for Kim, a pre-arrest hearing typically takes place within two to three days. For Kang, however, the parliamentary privilege against arrest may be a decisive factor. As the National Assembly is in session in February, a sitting lawmaker cannot be arrested or detained without Assembly consent.

To proceed with a warrant hearing for Kang, a motion for consent to arrest must be approved by a majority of lawmakers present, with a quorum of a majority of all members. After completing his second police questioning on Feb. 3, Kang declined to comment when asked whether he would waive his arrest privilege.

#Kang Sun-woo #Kim Kyung #nomination donation scandal #arrest warrant #Seoul police