Prosecution Returns Arrest Warrant for Byungki Kim... "Supplementary Investigation Needed"

"Insufficient Evidence to Justify Detention"

The prosecution has returned the arrest warrant requested by the police for independent lawmaker Byungki Kim, who faces various allegations of misconduct.

On September 11, the Public Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Hyungwon) announced that it had sent back the arrest warrant application submitted by the Public Crime Investigation Team of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Metropolitan Investigation Unit concerning Assemblyman Kim, requesting further investigation.

Independent lawmaker Byunggi Kim, who is under suspicion of bribery. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The prosecution stated, "Considering the fact that the suspect complied with seven rounds of summons for questioning, and that approximately five months have passed since the final questioning of the suspect and the request for an arrest warrant, we determined that the necessity for detention has not been sufficiently substantiated."

The prosecution further explained, "Upon a thorough review of the collected evidence and the suspect’s rebuttals, we found it necessary to strengthen certain pieces of evidence regarding some charges, so we have requested supplementary investigation."

Previously, on September 7, the police had requested an arrest warrant for Assemblyman Kim on charges including bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, breach of trust in the course of work, and obstruction of business.

The police specified in the arrest warrant request that Assemblyman Kim allegedly arranged for his second son to be hired by Jinwoo Industrial in exchange for favorable legislative activities benefiting the company, and that he received a total of around 67 million won in salary and university tuition payments for his son (bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes).

The arrest warrant application also included additional charges: receiving hotel accommodation vouchers for his family from Korean Air (bribery), misappropriating the business expense card of former Dongjak District Council member Jinhee Cho for personal use (breach of trust in the course of work), condoning the receipt of 100 million won in nomination money from then-Democratic Party lawmaker Sunwoo Kang (currently independent) during the 2022 local elections (obstruction of business), and receiving sponsorship funds in exchange for providing favorable legislative activities to Shilla Leisure (bribery).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.