Police arrest ex-Gochang official over County Head Sim Deok-seop money allegations
In short
Jeonbuk police said on 22 October that they had arrested a former senior Gochang County official, identified only as A, over allegations that Gochang County head Sim Deok-seop received money during the 2022 local election campaign. Sim said in a statement, as reported by Newsis, that the allegation is not true.
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Police in North Jeolla said on 22 October that they had arrested a former senior official of Gochang County in connection with allegations of improper money received by Gochang County head Sim Deok-seop (심덕섭) during the 2022 local election. The Jeonbuk Provincial Police Agency's anti-corruption and economic crimes investigation unit said it had arrested the former official, identified only as A, on suspicion of violating the Political Funds Act. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Yonhap described A as a former senior county official. Newsis called A a former county bureau head and said A worked in Sim's campaign at the time. CBS NoCut News said A was formerly head of the county's economic industry bureau and was being questioned in custody. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
A police official said the court issued the arrest warrant because of concerns about flight and destruction of evidence. Yonhap quoted the official as saying the warrant was issued the day before. Police declined to give further details, saying the matter is under investigation. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The documents differ on the amount. Yonhap reported an allegation that a local construction businessman delivered 70 million won in cash to the camp of Sim, then a candidate, before the 2022 election. CBS NoCut News reported that a person close to Sim was alleged to have received about 90 million won in two payments from a local construction company official, identified as B. [ 1 , 3 ]
Newsis and CBS NoCut News reported that the allegation includes Sim awarding construction work in return for the money. CBS NoCut News said police found indications that B was enabled in 2023 to win Gochang County projects worth hundreds of millions of won, and that police had added a bribery charge to the investigation of Sim, which had been conducted on a Political Funds Act suspicion. [ 2 , 3 ]
Yonhap reported that in July a former campaign official suspected of delivering the cash to Sim's side had also been arrested. Newsis reported that police searched the county office and other premises on 7 July to check the allegations. [ 1 , 2 ]
In a statement reported by Newsis, Sim said the allegation was merely the one-sided claim of an individual who bore a grudge against him during the election period and was not true at all. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
The arrest is a further step in a police investigation into a sitting county head. Police have said little about the case, and the documents do not report any charge against Sim being decided.
Key facts
- The Jeonbuk Provincial Police Agency's anti-corruption and economic crimes investigation unit said on 22 October that it had arrested a former Gochang County official, identified as A, on suspicion of violating the Political Funds Act. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- A is suspected of involvement in allegations that money was given to the camp of Sim Deok-seop, then a candidate, during the 2022 local election. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Newsis and CBS NoCut News described A as a former county bureau head; CBS NoCut News named the post as head of the economic industry bureau. [ 2 , 3 ]
- A police official said the court issued the arrest warrant because of concerns about flight and destruction of evidence. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Police searched Gochang County Office on 7 July in connection with the allegations, according to Newsis. [ 2 ]
- Sim said in a statement that the allegation was the one-sided claim of an individual who bore a grudge against him during the election period and was not true. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- A former senior Gochang County official, identified as A, was arrested on suspicion of violating the Political Funds Act in connection with the allegations against Sim Deok-seop over the 2022 local election. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The court issued the arrest warrant over concerns about flight and destruction of evidence, according to a police official. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Police declined to give details of the case, saying it is under investigation. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- The amount of money involved. Yonhap reported an allegation of 70 million won in cash from a local construction businessman; CBS NoCut News reported about 90 million won received in two payments from a local construction company official.
- A's role in the alleged payments. Yonhap said A is suspected of involvement; Newsis said A worked in Sim's campaign at the time; CBS NoCut News said A is suspected of involvement in the process of receiving the money. Police gave no details.
- Whether Sim is under investigation for bribery as well as a Political Funds Act violation. Only CBS NoCut News reported that police had added a bribery charge for Sim; the other documents do not mention it.
- Whether the allegation that Sim awarded construction projects in return for money is true. Newsis and CBS NoCut News reported the allegation of projects awarded in return; Sim denies the allegation, and police said they could not give details.