Former Seoul City Councilor Kim Kyung and independent lawmaker Kang Seon-woo, who are suspected of receiving 100 million won in nomination funds, appeared for their warrant examination at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 3rd. On the left is Rep. Kang attending the warrant examination, and on the right is former Councilor Kim leaving the courtroom after the examination. [Yonhap News] 

Independent lawmaker Kang Seon-woo and former Seoul City Councilor Kim Kyung, accused of exchanging 100 million won in return for local election nominations, were arrested on the 4th. This comes 65 days after the suspicions were raised following the release of related audio recordings.

Rep. Kang, who was considered a candidate for the first Minister of Gender Equality and Family in the Lee Jae-myung administration, was removed from the candidate list due to a controversy over her aide's abuse of power. Now, less than eight months later, she has been arrested on suspicion of 'nomination funds,' becoming imprisoned. Rep. Kang is the second sitting lawmaker to be arrested in the 22nd National Assembly, following Rep. Kwon Sung-dong of the People Power Party.

Judge Lee Jong-rok of the Seoul Central District Court, who handles warrant hearings, conducted a pre-arrest warrant examination for the two individuals accused of violating the Political Funds Act and the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, and of breach of trust (Kang Seon-woo as recipient of funds) and (Kim Kyung as provider of funds), and subsequently issued arrest warrants.

Judge Lee stated that the reason for issuing the warrants was "fear of evidence tampering."

Rep. Kang Seon-woo entering the courtroom [Yonhap News] 

Rep. Kang and former Councilor Kim are accused of exchanging a shopping bag containing 100 million won in January 2022, approximately five months before the local elections, at a hotel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, in connection with the nomination of a city council candidate.