NAPD lawmaker sentenced to lose parliamentary seat for alleged graft

Seoul Central District Court (Judge Lee Jeong-seok) sentenced on Thursday New Politics Alliance for Democracy lawmaker Kim Jae-yun (aged 50, photo), who was indicted and arrested on charges of bribery, to three years in prison, 50 million won (46,343 U.S. dollars) in fine and 44 million won (40,782 dollars) in compensation. Kim was brought to trial on charges of "legislative lobbying" and acceptance of bribery from Seoul Art College (SAC).

The court provided reasons for the sentence, saying, “Kim’s crime is serious as he has forgotten the duty of social leadership and accepted huge bribes, although he is an incumbent lawmaker.” If imprisonment without labor or heavier punishment is confirmed, Kim will be deprived of his parliamentary seat.

Kim was indicted in August 2014 on charges of receiving bribes amounting to 54 million won (50,050 dollars), including 50 million won in cash and 4 million won worth gift cards, from Kim Seok-kyu, chairman of the school`s board of directors who made a request for change of the school name and passage of a proposed revision bill for the "Act on the Development of Workplace Skills of Workers."

The court judged that Kim is guilty of receiving 44 million won, but found he is innocent of receiving 10 million won in cash at the school chairman’s office on Sept. 16, 2013, citing that he couldn’t remember the specific date that he gave the money to Kim.