Police drop abuse of power charges against lawmaker Kang Sun-woo

Police have decided not to forward charges against independent lawmaker Kang Sun-woo concerning allegations of abuse of power by his former aides. The Seoul Gangseo Police Station concluded its investigation into five complaints filed in April, including charges of abuse of power, coercion, violation of the Labor Standards Act, perjury in the National Assembly, and obstruction of business.

Regarding the allegations of obstructing former aides' work and re-employment, police determined that the former aides did not cooperate with requests for statements about their experiences, leading to the decision not to prosecute. For the charge of perjury, police cited the National Assembly Witnesses and Testimony Act, which requires a formal complaint from the National Assembly for criminal prosecution, a step that was not taken in this case.

Kang Sun-woo faced accusations of abuse of power in June of last year when nominated for Minister of Gender Equality and Family. The allegations included demanding personal favors, such as cleaning his toilet and disposing of food waste, ostracizing some aides, and interfering with the re-employment of former staff. Civic groups subsequently filed a complaint with the police in July, also alleging that Kang provided false testimony during his confirmation hearing.

Currently, Kang Sun-woo is on trial for a separate case involving accusations of receiving money in exchange for political nominations, including charges under the Political Funds Act and the Anti-Graft Act. The first-instance trial is ongoing.