Ex-PPP lawmaker, political broker indicted in election nomination scandal probe

This composite file photo shows Kim Young-sun, left, a former five-term lawmaker of the ruling People Power Party, and Myung Tae-gyun, a political broker, at a court hearing in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Nov. 14. Yonhap

Kim Young-sun, a former five-term lawmaker of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), was indicted by prosecutors Tuesday, along with Myung Tae-kyun, a political broker at the center of a growing election nomination scandal involving the ruling party.

The Changwon District Prosecutors' Office said Kim and Myung were indicted and detained on charges of violating the Political Funds Act in the past.

Prosecutors allege that Kim offered Myung 80.7 million won ($57,540) between August 2022 and November 2023 through the former lawmaker's campaign finance officer in connection with Kim's candidate nomination during the 2022 parliamentary by-elections.

Prosecutors believe Myung exploited his connections with influential figures, including President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, to solicit bribes by promising nominations.

Under the Political Funds Act, it is illegal to give or receive political funds in connection with recommending specific candidates for public office.

Last week, prosecutors raided the headquarters of the PPP in Seoul as part of the investigation into the influence-peddling scandal. (Yonhap)