A complaint accusing Min Kyung-sun of violating the Political Funds Act has become a central issue in the June 3 local elections. Min responded by presenting evidence to refute the charges and said she would confront them head-on.
At the May 6 press conference, Min said she had obtained a handwritten statement from A, the construction-company CEO some media outlets identified as the alleged source of the payments. In that statement, A denies the accusations as entirely false.
According to the released statement, A wrote, “I did not hand cash to Min Kyung-sun or her primary campaign in 2021 or 2022, and the accuser’s claim that I provided political funds expecting land permits in the Gangmae-dong area is also untrue.”
A added, “B, whom I suspect is the accuser, was an employee of the company. After we had a falling out, B learned I had a personal acquaintance with Min and filed a criminal complaint based on falsehoods.”
In her statement, Min said, “I will not be swayed by political maneuvering. I will face the judgment of Goyang’s 1.07 million residents on June 3 based solely on policy and vision.” She emphasized, “My 30 years in public service attest to my integrity. The overwhelming voter support confirmed in the primary and the statement we obtained today provide the clearest answer to these allegations.”
She also urged the police to investigate promptly so the baseless allegations can be cleared.
Meanwhile, Min’s campaign headquarters said it had not received any official notice or summons from the police regarding the complaint and could not review the contents of the filing, so it submitted a public information request to obtain the documents.
That same morning, the campaign filed a complaint with the Northern Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency accusing the unnamed accuser of violating the Public Official Election Act and defamation. The campaign also asked two media outlets to issue corrections, saying they had reported the accuser’s claims one-sidedly.
The matter began on April 25, when B filed a complaint with the Goyang police station asking authorities to punish Min for alleged violations of the Political Funds Act and related charges.
B told the Gyeonggi Ilbo by phone that “in 2021 and 2022, at the direction of company CEO A, I twice placed a total of ₩14,000,000 (approximately $10,500) in the back seat of Min’s SUV.”
B also alleged that the complaint includes a claim that the company provided ₩30,000,000 (approximately $22,500) in company funds to cover operating costs for Min’s campaign.
Explaining his motive, B said he decided to file the complaint because, even while the company was struggling, the CEO prioritized raising money to give to Min over paying employees’ salaries. “After I saw Min win in the primary, I quit the company. Thinking of coworkers who were suffering, I decided to file the complaint,” he said.
