DistantNews
Support us
🇰🇷 South Korea /Crime & Justice

Civic group requests review of stalled police probe into lawmaker Kim Byung-ki

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Under investigation
  • A civic group has requested a police investigation review for an independent lawmaker facing allegations of illegal political funds and other offenses.
  • The group filed the request after police failed to conclude their 11-month investigation into lawmaker Kim Byung-ki.
  • The investigation includes accusations of preferential university admission for his son, receiving accommodation from Korean Air, and special medical treatment.

A civic group has formally requested a review by the Police Investigation Review Committee, citing the prolonged and inconclusive investigation into independent lawmaker Kim Byung-ki. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has been investigating Kim for over 11 months regarding multiple allegations, including illicit political fund-raising, preferential treatment for his son's university admission, receiving accommodation benefits from Korean Air, and alleged special medical treatment at Boramae Hospital.

The civic group, the Committee for the Protection of People's Livelihoods (Seominwi), submitted the request for a review committee session on March 31. Seominwi argued that the police's failure to reach a conclusion after nearly a year raises "reasonable doubts" that the delay is due to reasons beyond investigative capacity.

11 months have passed without a conclusion, raising reasonable doubts that the delay is due to reasons beyond investigative capacity.

— Committee for the Protection of People's Livelihoods (Seominwi)Stating the reason for requesting a police investigation review.

Kim, formerly of the Democratic Party, has been under scrutiny since Seominwi filed complaints starting in September of the previous year. The police have conducted seven investigative sessions with Kim, who cited health reasons for his partial attendance. The last session was on April 10, and the police have reportedly been engaged in legal review and supplementary investigations for nearly four months since then.

Police Superintendent General Park Jeong-bo stated on March 27 that it was "not yet time to reach a conclusion." The Police Investigation Review Committee is a system designed for parties involved in a case, such as complainants, to request a review if they believe the appropriateness or legality of the investigation process or outcome has been significantly compromised. Given that both the complainant and Kim's side have reportedly urged a swift conclusion, there is a significant possibility that the committee will be convened.

It is not yet time to reach a conclusion.

— Park Jeong-boSeoul Metropolitan Police Superintendent General, commenting on the ongoing investigation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog