Ex-DPK leader's former aide indicted in cash-for-vote scandal

Former DPK leader Song Young-gil speaks to reporters in front of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office, June 7. Korea Times photo by Ahn Da-eun

Prosecutors on Friday indicted a former aide to Song Young-gil, a former leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), in connection with a cash-for-vote scandal involving the party's 2021 leadership election.

The aide named Park Yong-soo, 53, was put under formal arrest on July 3 on charges of colluding with other party officials, including Kang Rae-gu and Lee Jung-geun, in distributing 67.5 million won ($52,600) to DPK lawmakers in the run-up to the party's leadership election in May 2021, which Song ultimately won.

Kang and Lee were already arrested and indicted on charges of bribery and violations of political party and fund laws. The scandal centers on allegations that Song's campaign distributed envelopes of cash totaling 94 million won to as many as 20 DPK lawmakers and other party members.

According to officials at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office, Park allegedly received 50 million won from a businessman in April 2021 and delivered 60 million won to former DPK lawmaker Youn Kwan-suk, who then distributed the money to about 20 party lawmakers the same month.

"Park was deeply involved in the management of funds distributed ahead of the party's leadership election. It's a crime that violated the core values of party democracy stipulated in Article 8 of the Constitution," a prosecution official said.

The prosecution is expected to soon begin an investigation into Song and other former and incumbent DPK lawmakers allegedly involved in the scandal. (Yonhap)