Kwak Sang-do and his son were acquitted of bribery charges regarding a 50 billion won payment he allegedly received under the guise of his son's severance pay from a company involved in a controversial development project. The acquittal raised concerns regarding a perceived loophole in the law that allowed legal forms of bribery through family connections. The prosecution's handling of the case has been criticized, leading to questions about their investigative rigor, especially since the scandal is deeply intertwined with high-profile political and business figures in South Korea.

The initial allegations surfaced from the so-called 'Jeong Young-hak transcript' in September 2021, which indicated that Kim Man-bae, involved in the Daejang-dong project, mentioned the need to provide substantial financial kickbacks to influential officials. Kwak Sang-do's connection to the payment emerged as part of a larger picture of corruption, where familial ties are exploited to facilitate illegal transactions, raising public concern over the integrity of political processes in South Korea. Following the acquittal, the notion that his son's severance could be interpreted as a legitimate reason to receive a huge sum of money has prompted widespread debate.

The court acknowledged the unusually high amount involved in the severance payment but concluded that there was insufficient evidence to prove Kwak received the funds directly for corrupt purposes. The ruling illustrates the delicate balance of legal interpretations in bribery cases, where factors such as family circumstances could influence perceptions of guilt or innocence. Further steps in legal proceedings are anticipated as tensions surrounding the implications of this case continue to heighten, reflecting the broader societal frustrations towards corruption within political and business spheres in South Korea.