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Police raid Nat'l Assembly Secretariat in conflict-of-interest probe involving committee chief

Published: 23 Jan. 2026, 20:50

Choi Min-hee, the chair of the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, speaks during a parliamentary audit at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Oct. 23, 2025. [LIM HYUN-DONG]

Police raided the National Assembly Secretariat on Friday in a probe over a committee chairperson's acceptance of cash gifts for her daughter's wedding despite concerns of conflict of interest, authorities said.

Rep. Choi Min-hee of the ruling Democratic Party came under scrutiny after she held her daughter's wedding at the National Assembly during an annual parliamentary audit period in October last year.

The wedding drew criticism after it was revealed that Choi accepted cash gifts, reportedly as high as 1 million won ($680), from officials at government agencies and companies under her committee's parliamentary oversight.

Choi is the chair of the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee. In Korea, it is customary for wedding guests to give cash to the newlyweds as gifts.

Following the controversy, Choi said she instructed her aides to return the money.

The police raid came as authorities investigated the case following a complaint filed by a civic group that accused the two-term lawmaker of abuse of power and violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.

BY LEE CHAN-KYU, OH SO-YEONG [[email protected]]