Seoul: A Seoul city councilor has announced her resignation following allegations that she bribed a lawmaker to secure a nomination for her councilorship in the 2022 local elections. Kim Kyung, in a statement released by her lawyer, confirmed she has submitted her resignation to the chair of the Seoul Metropolitan Council.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim is currently under police investigation for allegedly paying 100 million won (US$69,300) to Rep. Kang Sun-woo. Kang recently parted ways with the ruling Democratic Party (DP) to become an independent, amid accusations that he accepted the bribe in exchange for the party's nomination of Kim for her council seat.

Kim expressed remorse in her statement, acknowledging her failure to uphold the ethical responsibilities expected of a public official. She admitted her mistake and stated her intention to not offer any excuses. Further, she committed to cooperating fully with investigations, seeking to uncover the truth and accept any legal consequences of her actions.

The controversy surfaced at the end of last month when a recording was released, capturing a conversation between Kang and then DP Rep. Kim Byung-kee regarding the money. Following the disclosure, Kim Byung-kee resigned as floor leader to address this scandal and other misconduct allegations involving him and his family.

In addition to the current investigation, police have initiated a separate inquiry into claims that the city councilor attempted to bribe her way into a nomination for the 2023 by-election for a Seoul district office chief.