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Police under fire as key figure in Kang Sun-woo corruption case departs for U.S.

Published: 05 Jan. 2026, 20:47 Updated: 09 Jan. 2026, 16:24

Democratic Party Rep. Kang Sun-woo speaks during a National Assembly session at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul on Nov. 12, 2025. [NEWS1]

Kim Kyung, a Seoul Metropolitan Council member suspected of handing over 100 million won ($69,000) to former Democratic Party (DP) Rep. Kang Sun-woo in exchange for a party nomination, left for the United States last Wednesday.

Police only became aware of the departure days later and requested an entry notification on Monday, fueling criticism that police investigations into Kang and former DP floor leader Kim Byung-kee — both facing related allegations — are stagnating.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s public crime investigation unit, which is handling the case involving Rep. Kang, requested that the Ministry of Justice notify them when Kim Kyung returns to Korea.

If Kim Kyung is confirmed to have reentered the country, police plan to request a travel ban from the Justice Ministry and begin a full investigation. Kim Kyung reportedly left the country last Wednesday, the same day the case was assigned to the Seoul police, saying she was visiting his child in the United States.

Police suspect she may have left to evade the investigation. If she returns to Korea, police plan to request a travel ban on her, but for now, they are left waiting for her return before taking further action.

Kim Kyung is accused of giving 100 million won to Rep. Kang’s side in 2022 in exchange for a nomination in the local elections. Kang is alleged to have discussed the matter with Kim Byung-kee, who was serving as a member of the nomination committee at the time. Kim Kyung was later given a sole candidacy as the DP’s nominee for Seoul’s Gangseo District.

Lee Sang-wook, head of the Justice Party’s Gangseo District chapter, who had filed a complaint against Democratic Party Rep. Kang Sun-woo and Seoul Metropolitan Council member Kim Kyung, holds a complaint document as he appears before questioning at the Gangseo Police Precinct on Jan. 5. [NEWS1]

On Monday, the Gangseo Police Precinct summoned Lee Sang-wook, head of the Justice Party’s Gangseo District chapter, who had filed a complaint against Kang and Kim Kyung for violating the Public Official Election Act, which prohibits offering or receiving money in exchange for nominations.

Lee called on Kang to step down as a lawmaker. After completing the initial questioning of the complainant, Gangseo Police plans to transfer the case to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

Police said the Seoul agency will now handle all investigations involving Kang and Kim Byung-kee. One focus will be on whether the Dongjak Police Precinct failed to properly investigate allegations against Kim Byung-kee.

Dongjak Police is accused of halting a probe into the alleged misuse of public funds by Kim Byung-kee’s wife, surnamed Lee, who served on the Dongjak District Council. The precinct reportedly closed the internal investigation, citing insufficient evidence, after being asked by a People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker to drop the case.

Democratic Party Rep. Kang Sun-woo is seen during a National Assembly general meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul on Aug. 21, 2025. [NEWS1]

A former Dongjak Police chief, who was named in the complaint, told the JoongAng Ilbo, “I never received any call from or communication involving the lawmaker in question.”

A PPP lawmaker also named in the complaint denied wrongdoing.

“I never received any request from Kim to interfere with a police investigation,” the lawmaker said. The lawmaker also refuted reports that he had previously had breakfast with Kim Byung-kee, saying his schedule showed a meeting with residents instead.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police is also reviewing why the Dongjak police made no progress despite obtaining a petition in November last year that alleged Kim Byung-kee had accepted bribes in exchange for a nomination.

Former Democratic Party floor leader Kim Byung-kee is seen during a press conference at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul on Dec. 30, 2025. [LIM HYUN-DONG]

A former aide to Kim Byung-kee stated that the petition was intercepted by Kim and prevented from reaching then-party leader Lee Jae Myung, according to testimony secured by Dongjak Police. Despite this, no further investigation took place.

Dongjak Police said it was “still in the process of verifying the facts.”

The Seoul police unit investigating public crimes conducted a phone interview on Sunday with former DP Rep. Lee Soo-jin, who had initially received the petition from a Dongjak District Council member and attempted to deliver it to party leadership.

Lee said the petition had also been submitted to the party’s ethics panel but was buried without further action.

The head of a civic group that filed a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police against Kim Byung-kee, Kim Hyun-ji and four others is seen holding up the complaint document in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Jongno District, central Seoul on Jan. 5. [NEWS1]

Also on Monday, a civic group filed a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police against Kim Byung-kee, Kim Hyun-ji — the Blue House’s first executive secretary — and four others, accusing them of bribery, violating political funding laws and obstruction of duty through deceit.

The complaint centers on allegations that two Dongjak council members gave bribes to Kim Byung-kee and his spouse and were later repaid, with the petition reaching party leadership but being ignored.

The civic group also filed a complaint against current DP leader Jung Chung-rae — who was a senior party official when the allegations in the above cases arose — for allegedly failing to act on the matter. The group said it plans to file additional complaints with the prosecution.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY IM SOUNG-BIN,KIM JEONG-JAE,PARK JUN-KYU [[email protected]]