Police identify location, time of alleged return of 30 million won in political funds by South Korean lawmaker

Seoul police have reportedly pinpointed the specific location and timing of the alleged return of 30 million won in political funds by independent lawmaker Kim Byeong-ki. These funds were reportedly given to him by former district council members.

The investigation by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Public Crime Investigation Division has focused on the circumstances surrounding the alleged repayment. According to reports, police recently interviewed individuals involved in the renovation of Kim's local office. This office is the site where two former Dongjak District council members, identified as Jeon and Kim, claim they received the 30 million won back months after handing it over ahead of the 2020 general election.

One former council member, Jeon, stated he received 10 million won back in June 2020 from Lee Ji-hee, a Dongjak District council member and close associate of Kim, at a regular meeting of Democratic Party council members held at the local office. The other former council member, Kim, claimed he received the remaining 20 million won from Kim's wife, identified as Lee, a few weeks later at a newly relocated local office.

However, both Lee, the district council member, and Kim's wife, Lee, have denied these allegations. They contend that the meetings could not have taken place as described because the local office was undergoing renovation and relocation at the time. Police have been concentrating on verifying specific facts, such as the timing of the office relocation, where the two accounts diverge.

To clarify the timeline, police have investigated the companies that handled the office's interior design and relocation, confirming the actual construction period and the exact date of the move. With the police having a substantial grasp on the details of the cash transfer and repayment, the investigation into the alleged violation of the Political Funds Act appears to be in its final stages. Police are expected to reach a conclusion soon after a legal review of all allegations against Kim, including those related to political funds.