Youngest lawmaker faces bribery probe

By Yi Whan-woo

Rep. Kim Su-min

Rep. Kim Su-min of the minority opposition People’s Party ― currently the youngest National Assembly member ― is being investigated on suspicion of receiving kickbacks from her campaign promoters during the general election campaign in April.

According to the Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office, investigators raided six offices belonging to a campaign materials supplier and a TV marketing company that worked for Kim, Thursday.

The 29-year-old lawmaker is suspected of having accepted 238 million won ($206,000) in kickbacks from her campaign promoters, including the two companies, using the money to fund her campaign.

The two companies allegedly signed a bogus contract with a design company owned by Kim to provide the money, according to the prosecution.

Kim is also facing suspicions that she provided some of the money to other party members.

She denied the allegations.

“Those who mar the party’s reputation will be held accountable,” she told reporters.

Kim secured an Assembly seat through the proportional representation system after the April polls.

Earlier, the National Election Commission (NEC) asked the prosecution to investigate the case.

The election watchdog also asked the prosecution to probe the party’s former secretary-general Park Sun-sook, who led the party’s campaign and is suspected of falsifying a report to the NEC on campaign expenditure.

People’s Party co-leader Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo said he is watching the case closely, without commenting further.

The party’s floor leader Rep. Park Jie-won expressed support for Kim, saying “I believe she is innocent.”

The People’s Party has 38 lawmakers, including 13 proportional representatives who secured parliamentary seats in proportion to the overall number of votes the party received in the April election.

Kim was given the seventh slot among the party’s candidates for non-electoral lawmakers.

Ahn recruited her as part of a strategy to nurture young legislators.

Kim’s father, Kim Hyun-bae, was a former lawmaker as well. He served as a member of the New Korea Party, a precursor of the ruling Saenuri Party.