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

South Korean police have concluded their investigations into five separate allegations of abuse of power against independent lawmaker Kang Sun-woo, deciding not to indict him on any charges. The cases, which included accusations of violating labor laws, obstruction of business, abuse of authority, and coercion, were all dismissed by the Gangseo Police Station in Seoul in April.

The allegations surfaced last year when former aides accused Kang of assigning them personal tasks, such as disposing of household trash and repairing bidets at his residence. They also claimed he ostracized some staff members and pressured them to resign. Furthermore, Kang was accused of interfering with the re-employment prospects of former aides and threatening to prevent them from working in the National Assembly again if they disclosed the details of their employment.

A civic group, the People's Livelihood Improvement Committee, filed a complaint against Kang in July of last year, initiating the police investigation. Earlier, police had also decided not to indict Kang on charges of perjury related to his testimony in the National Assembly, citing a lack of formal complaint from the Assembly itself, which is required to pursue such charges.

Separately, Kang is currently on trial for allegedly accepting 100 million won from former Seoul City Council member Kim Gyeong in exchange for a nomination for a local election in January 2022. He was arrested and is currently in custody. Kang filed for bail in June, arguing that his detention was hindering his defense, but the court has yet to rule on his request.