▲ Independent lawmaker Kim Byung-ki attends a plenary session at the National Assembly on the 7th to listen to a negotiation group's speech.
An arrest warrant requested by police for independent lawmaker Kim Byung-ki, who faces various allegations of corruption and misconduct, has been returned by the prosecution.
Today, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office sent the arrest warrant requested by the Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency back to the police without filing it with the court.
This comes four days after the police applied for the arrest warrant for Lawmaker Kim.
The prosecution announced to the press today that "the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 2 has requested supplementary investigation regarding the arrest warrant applied for by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency."
The prosecution explained that, taking into consideration the fact that the suspect complied with seven rounds of summons and the investigative progress over approximately five months from the final investigation of the suspect to the application for the arrest warrant, it was determined that the justification for an arrest was insufficiently explained.
They also stated that, upon closely reviewing the gathered evidence and the suspect's defense, they found a need to reinforce evidence regarding certain charges and therefore requested a supplementary investigation.
The police are expected to decide whether to reapply for the warrant after reviewing the prosecution's reasons for returning it.
The possibility of forwarding the case to prosecutors without detention, rather than reapplying for an arrest warrant, is also being raised.
Previously, the police applied for an arrest warrant for Lawmaker Kim on the 7th under charges including bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Crimes, professional breach of trust, and obstruction of business.
The police specified in the arrest warrant that, in exchange for conducting legislative activities favorable to Jinwoo Santen, Lawmaker Kim had his second son employed by the company and received a total of approximately 67 million won in salary and his son's university tuition.
The arrest warrant also included charges that he received family hotel accommodation vouchers from Korean Air, misappropriated the corporate credit card of former Dongjak District Council member Cho Jin-hee for personal use, condoned the receipt of 100 million won in nomination donations by Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Kang Sun-woo during the 2022 local elections, and received political donations in exchange for legislative activities favorable to Silla Leisure.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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