From left, Kim Byung-ki, former floor leader of the Democratic Party, Kang Seon-woo, member of the National Assembly, and Kim Gyeong, Seoul City Councilor. [Photo=Yonhap News]

Park Soo-hyun, the senior spokesperson for the Democratic Party, appeared on CBS Radio's "Kim Hyun-jung's News Show" on December 31st last year and made the following remarks regarding the allegations of "receiving 100 million won in nomination bribes" within the party.

"How can one even imagine such a thing? Especially for the Democratic Party. I thought such issues would actually be found in a conservative party, I apologize, but in the People Power Party. To think this happened in our party! It can't be, I'm still half-convinced, half-disbelieving." 

That is a very ungentlemanly excuse. Is it not like saying, "My children are usually very good, but there are some disreputable people living in our neighborhood. They somehow ended up imitating the actions of those people."

Now, three people are involved in this "100 million won nomination bribe" incident.

The incident came to light at the end of last year through recorded audio of Kim Byung-ki, former floor leader, revealing that Seoul City Councilor Kim Gyeong allegedly delivered 100 million won to Kang Seon-woo's camp as a reward for nomination during the 2022 local elections.

Kim Byung-ki (three-term lawmaker, Dongjak District A) is suspected of knowing about this transfer of money and condoning it, as he was the secretary of the Seoul Metropolitan Party's nomination screening committee at the time.

Furthermore, he is facing accusations on 11 counts, including △hotel accommodation voucher incident △private use of spouse's corporate card △circumstances of document forgery △controversy over his second son's transfer to Soongsil University △violation of the National Intelligence Service Employees Act related to his eldest son △and abusive behavior towards his aides. The scope of jurisdiction covers multiple police stations, including Dongjak Police Station, Yeongdeungpo Police Station, Seocho Police Station, and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

He is also suspected of releasing recorded audio of a junior lawmaker's plea for help, "Save me," who had come to him for consultation, trusting him. Recently, reports have surfaced alleging that he received 10 million won and 20 million won from two former Dongjak District council members, which he returned after 3 to 5 months.

Kang Seon-woo (two-term lawmaker, Gangseo District A) was nominated as a candidate for the Minister of Gender Equality and Family in mid-2025 but withdrew her candidacy due to allegations of verbal abuse and bullying towards her aides. This time, she is accused of receiving a bribe as a reward for nomination during the 2022 local elections.

Seoul City Councilor Kim Gyeong (Gangseo District Constituency 1) has been accused of attempting to recruit members from a specific religious group into the party to run in the next Yeongdeungpo District Mayor election in September 2025. She has since left the Democratic Party and is now accused of receiving 100 million won in cash as a nomination bribe.

All three individuals are members of the Democratic Party. What does an incident that occurred among Democratic Party members have to do with disreputable people in the neighborhood? Wouldn't it be more gentlemanly to admit, "This neighborhood is inherently like that"?

If the intention was to raise the Democratic Party's prestige by bringing down the People Power Party, that intention has gone awry. More suspect than the disreputable people in the neighborhood, or the family members who were originally good but are now far worse than their neighbors, is your own prestige, Spokesperson Park. Your own prestige is more questionable.

Reporter Im Yo-hee