Kim Yong Receives Suspended Sentence Again in Second Trial for Accepting Illegal Funds
Kim Nam-guk: “We Need Competence Earned by Working with Citizens, Not Endorsements”
Kim Nam-guk: “We Need Competence Earned by Working with Citizens, Not Endorsements”
Yang Moon-seok, the former lawmaker whose seat was vacated after a conviction related to loan fraud, posted a recommendation on the 25th endorsing Kim Yong, former deputy director of the Democratic Research Institute and former Gyeonggi Provincial spokesperson, as his preferred successor to lead the Ansan Gap district committee.
On his Facebook page, Yang wrote that “many people want Kim Yong, who knows Gyeonggi Province better than anyone and who stood firm in the face of politically motivated prosecutions, to return,” and he formally endorsed Kim for the role.
Yang added, “If Kim accepts responsibility for Ansan Gap, he could at least begin to repay some of the debt we owe the citizens,” and he urged those who still support him to help Kim resume his political work.
He also called directly on Kim to “come to Ansan” and asked him to take the lead in fulfilling promises made to residents of Sangnok District.
The district became the site of a by-election after Yang lost his seat due to the loan-fraud conviction. Inside and outside the Democratic Party, many expect allies of President Lee Jae-myung — including former Democratic Research Institute deputy director Kim Yong and party spokesperson Kim Nam-guk — to run.
Meanwhile, Democratic Party spokesperson Kim Nam-guk took a cautious tone on his Facebook page, saying, “Right now, the important thing is not to name a particular individual but to listen humbly to the expectations and responsibilities Ansan citizens place on our party.”
He pointed to local priorities such as extending the Sinansanseon line to Jai Station and said, “These issues must be solved by people with the skills and accountability that come from working alongside citizens on the ground, not by someone’s endorsement.”
Kim added, “I will quietly carry out my duties, trusting the judgment of Ansan residents, party members, and the party, and I will prioritize a single voice for Ansan’s unity and development over personal regrets or political calculations.”
He also pledged to “stand with citizens at the grassroots level for the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration and Ansan’s future.”
Kim Yong has long been counted among President Lee’s closest aides, dating back to Lee’s time as mayor of Seongnam. In the first and second trials, he was sentenced to five years in prison, fined 70 million KRW (approximately $52,500), and ordered to forfeit 670 million KRW (approximately $502,500) after being accused of receiving 600 million KRW (approximately $450,000) in illegal campaign funds from Yoo Dong-gyu, the former acting president of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation. He was released on bail last year.
