[Anchor]

Police have requested an arrest warrant today (September 7) for independent Representative Kim Byung-kee, who has been under investigation over 13 allegations of misconduct, including arranging preferential employment for his children. This comes one year after police launched their investigation in September of last year.

Reporter Je Hui-won has the details.

[Reporter]

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Public Crime Investigation Unit requested an arrest warrant for independent Representative Kim Byung-kee today.

The charges against him include bribery and obstruction of business under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Crimes.

Police have summoned Rep. Kim a total of seven times as a suspect for questioning.

[Kim Byung-kee / Independent Representative (in April): They seem to be calling me in too often... Do you really think an arrest warrant would be requested?]

Police explained the reason for seeking the arrest warrant by stating, "As a result of the investigation, the charges have been objectively substantiated, and we considered factors such as the risk of destruction of evidence."

In particular, police believe that in 2022, Rep. Kim requested a small and medium-sized enterprise to hire his second son as part of a contract department transfer at Soongsil University, promising favorable legislative activities in return.

They concluded that receiving economic benefits exceeding 50 million won, including salary and tuition fees, from the company over a period of two years and nine months constitutes bribery.

In addition, regarding allegations that Rep. Kim, who served as the secretary of the Democratic Party's nomination management committee, overlooked the fact that independent Representative Kang Sunoo had accepted nomination-related funds ahead of the 2022 local elections despite knowing about it, police applied charges of obstruction of business.

Police also deemed a 5 million won sponsorship fund received by Rep. Kim in exchange for asking favorable questions for KMH Silla Leisure during the 2022 parliamentary audit, as well as a hotel accommodation voucher worth 1.6 million won received from Korean Air the year before last, as bribes.

Regarding suspicions that his spouse, surnamed Lee, misappropriated operational expenses from the Dongjak District Council, the charge of professional breach of trust was applied and included in the warrant.

The investigation into Rep. Kim had stalled for nearly five months following his final questioning in April, drawing widespread criticism of a delayed investigation. Consequently, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Investigation Deliberation Committee recommended swift processing on August 25.

(Video Editing: Yeojin, Design: Park Cheon-woong, Cho Su-in)