PPP lawmaker appears for arrest warrant hearing over bribery allegations
Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, center, of the main opposition People Power Party appears for a court hearing on his potential arrest at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) appeared at a Seoul court Tuesday to attend a hearing on his potential arrest over bribery allegations.
The five-term lawmaker arrived at the Seoul Central District Court after special counsel Min Joong-ki requested the warrant against him for allegedly violating the Political Funds Act.
Kweon, once seen as a close confidant of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, is accused of receiving 100 million won ($72,000) in illegal political funds from a former Unification Church official in January 2022 ahead of the presidential election in March.
He was allegedly promised church member votes and in return asked to support the church if Yoon, then presidential candidate of the PPP, won the election, which he did.
The PPP lawmaker is also accused of receiving shopping bags full of cash from Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja between February and March 2022, as well as informing the church of a police investigation into Han.
As he arrived at the court, Kweon criticized the special counsel, comparing its investigation to a past corruption case he faced during the former liberal President Moon Jae-in's administration, for which he was later acquitted.
"I was innocent then, and I am innocent this time as well," he told reporters, without responding to questions about the specific allegations.
The court decision on his potential arrest will be made as early as later in the day.
The hearing comes after the National Assembly approved a motion to arrest Kweon on Thursday.
By law, sitting lawmakers are immune from arrest while parliament is in session and can only be put under arrest with consent from the National Assembly.
Min's team has been investigating bribery allegations surrounding the Unification Church as part of its corruption investigation into former first lady Kim Keon Hee, Yoon's wife.