Police questioned Seoul Metropolitan Council member Kim Kyung for the third time on Sunday about whether she'd given money to former Democratic Party lawmaker Kang Sun-woo ahead of the 2022 local elections.

Police also grilled, for a third time, Kang’s former aide, surnamed Nam, on Sunday for approximately four hours starting at 7 p.m.

Leaving the police station, Nam kept mum when asked by reporters whether he had first proposed that Kim offer Kang money in exchange for a nomination and later delivered the funds directly.

Council member Kim, on her part, returned home around 2:50 a.m. Monday, after undergoing roughly 17 hours of questioning. 

She told reporters that she'd explained the situation truthfully.

Yonhap reported last week that Kim had previously told police that Nam had proposed she give money to Kang and that Nam was with Kang when the money was delivered.

However, Nam maintains that he did not ask Kim for money and was unaware of the transaction. He reportedly told police that he met Kim with Kang at a café, briefly left the two alone, and later received orders from Kang to load an item into a car.

Kang claimed on social media in late December that she was unaware that funds had been handed over in connection with a nomination until Nam informed her. She stated that upon learning of the transfer, she ordered and confirmed the return of the money.

Police plan to question Kang on Tuesday about the case.