Over 300 Cases Involving 120 Million Won Receipts and Documents Not Submitted
Police Investigate After Receiving Case Reported by Election Commission
Former People Power Party lawmaker Kim Young-sun, who was arrested for alleged nomination transactions, along with her accounting officer Kang Hye-kyung, has been forwarded to the prosecution for failing to properly handle regular accounting reports.
The Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Division of the Gyeongnam Police Agency announced on the 12th that they forwarded former lawmaker Kim and accountant Kang without detention for violating the Political Funds Act due to improper handling of the 2023 annual accounting report data.
According to a comprehensive report by our press, Kang is suspected of failing to submit over 300 receipts and supporting documents worth approximately 120 million won to the Gyeongnam Provincial Election Commission related to last year’s regular accounting report. Former lawmaker Kim is accused of neglecting her duty to supervise Kang, whom she appointed.
Under the Political Funds Act, a lawmaker’s accounting officer is required to submit financial statements detailing political fund income and expenditures, along with receipts and supporting documents, to the local election commission from January 1 to December 31 each year. Violations can result in imprisonment for up to 3 years or fines up to 6 million won, while the person appointing the accounting officer may be fined up to 2 million won.
In July, the Gyeongnam Provincial Election Commission reported Kim and Kang to the prosecution, and the police have been investigating the case. A police official stated, “It is difficult to disclose specific details of the investigation,” and added, “Former lawmaker Kim has provided statements denying the allegations.”
The police concluded that the allegations against them were substantiated and forwarded the case to the prosecution.
Meanwhile, separately from this case, the Gyeongnam Provincial Election Commission filed a complaint against Kang for violating the Political Funds Act in December last year and requested an investigation into a total of five individuals, including former lawmaker Kim, political broker Myung Tae-kyun, Kim Mo, head of the Future Korea Research Institute, and pre-candidates for the 2022 local elections Bae Mo and Lee Mo. Following an investigation, the prosecution arrested and indicted Myung and former lawmaker Kim on the 3rd of last month, while indicting Kim, Bae, and Lee without detention. The prosecution intends to continue its investigation against Kang.