Rep. Kang Sun-woo, a two-term independent lawmaker formerly of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, was handed a 30-month jail term Wednesday for her role in an alleged pay-to-play corruption scandal.
Kang was imprisoned immediately after the district court announced its verdict, and will lose her parliamentary seat if the ruling on her violation of the Political Funds Act is confirmed.
Kang is accused of receiving 100 million won ($74,860) from former Seoul city councilor Kim Kyung, as Kang had the power to select nominees for the councilor post. Kim was later selected as a nominee and went on to win the councilor post in the 2022 local elections.
Kang maintained she was unaware of the money transfer, saying instead that her secretary had been responsible. Wednesday's ruling indicated otherwise, stating it was "plausible" that Kang had knowingly received a bag of cash and provided assistance to Kim after the money transfer.
Kang "undermined the fairness of the election and severely damaged public trust" through the money transfer not prescribed by the existing law, according to the verdict.
Kang, representing the Gangseo A electoral district in Seoul, was expelled from the ruling Democratic Party in January, and a motion to remove her from immunity as a lawmaker passed the National Assembly in February.
Wednesday's court ruling also put Kim behind bars for a year.
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