Seoul: Rep. Kang Sun-woo of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) announced her resignation from the party as she faces allegations of accepting a bribe of 100 million won (US$69,400) from a Seoul city councilor in 2022. The announcement came on Thursday, with Kang expressing her decision to leave the party to avoid further burdening its members.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the police initiated an investigation into Kang a day prior, following a complaint filed by opposition lawmakers accusing her of receiving the bribe through an aide during the 2022 local elections. In her Facebook post, Kang assured her commitment to cooperate with the investigation and comply with all required procedures, even after her departure from the party.

The case gained significant public attention after a local media outlet released an audio recording featuring Kang in conversation with Rep. Kim Byung-kee, a fellow party member and then secretary of the DP's Seoul nomination committee. The recording has intensified scrutiny over the case, leading to Kim's resignation from the party's floor leadership earlier this week.