SEOUL - Kim Yong, a close aide to South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, was released on bail Wednesday while his appeal is pending. Kim faces charges related to bribery and illegal political funds linked to a major development corruption scandal.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim's release came 160 days after his initial incarceration. The former deputy head of the Democratic Party's Institute for Democracy think tank was sentenced in November to five years in prison by a district court for receiving 847 million won (approximately US$620,740) in illegal political funds from real estate developers involved in the Daejang-dong apartment complex project, and 190 million won in bribes from a former senior official of Seongnam's city development corporation. Kim had been granted bail during the district court trial in May of last year but was taken back into custody following his November conviction.