Prosecutors Reject Arrest Warrant for Rep. Kim Byung-ki, Citing Insufficient Explanation

[Anchor]

Police have requested an arrest warrant for independent Representative Kim Byung-ki a year after launching an investigation into him. However, prosecutors returned the warrant to the police, stating that evidence needs to be reinforced, and demanded a supplementary investigation.

Reporter Son Gijun has the details.

[Reporter]

Independent Representative Kim Byung-ki has been under investigation since September of last year regarding 13 allegations surrounding himself and his family.

Rep. Kim, who previously served as the ruling party floor leader, consistently showed confidence while appearing before the police seven times for questioning, up until his final summons last April.

[Kim Byung-ki / Independent Representative (Last April): It feels like they are calling me in too often, but is there any way an arrest warrant would actually be requested?]

Afterwards, the police repeatedly stated for five months that the investigation was in the final stages, and eventually requested an arrest warrant on the 7th, exactly one year after launching the probe.

This came after the Investigation Review Committee recommended last month that the case be handled swiftly within a month.

The police specified five charges in the warrant, including soliciting employment for his second son to meet transfer conditions at Soongsil University, turning a blind eye to Representative Kang Sun-woo accepting 100 million won, and accepting donations from Silla Leisure, emphasizing the necessity of his arrest. However, the prosecutors' judgment was different.

Prosecutors stated that explanations regarding the necessity of an arrest were insufficient because he had complied with seven summonses and five months had passed since the final questioning. This is interpreted to mean too much time has elapsed to consider there a risk of flight or destruction of evidence.

Prosecutors also demanded a supplementary investigation, stating that among the charges specified by the police in the arrest warrant, such as bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Crimes and obstruction of business, evidence needs to be reinforced.

[Lee Woong-hyuk / Professor of Police Science at Konkuk University: Ultimately, isn't this the result of an investigation that lacked the neutral, resolute will and courage toward an influential politician? The argument itself that there is a risk of destroying evidence a year later lacks logical consistency....]

A police official stated that they will review the prosecutors' reasons for rejection, conduct a supplementary investigation, and then decide whether to reapply for the arrest warrant.

(Video Editing: Kim Byung-jik, Design: Lee Ga-jin)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.