[Reporter’s Notebook] Police Investigation Trapped in a ‘Möbius Strip’

From the very start of the new year, reporters have been sitting on the cold stone pavement. Politicians arrive one after another, undergo overnight questioning, and head home at dawn. As these scenes repeat, not only reporters but the investigation process itself has fallen into a familiar pattern.
With the investigation into independent lawmaker Kang Sun-woo over allegations of illicit nomination funds and the complaint involving independent lawmaker Kim Byung-ki proceeding at the same time, the police have moved to the center of political investigations. Kang underwent more than 20 hours of overnight questioning, while Seoul Metropolitan Council member Kim Kyung and a former aide, identified only as Mr. Nam, have been summoned four times. This could be read as a sign that the investigation has intensified, but long interrogations and repeated summons do not always mean a meticulous probe. If questioning continues without clearly organizing the key issues, the investigation drags on and any conclusion is pushed further back.
In this case as well, the parties still give conflicting statements about when and where the money was delivered, how it was returned, and whether it was in exchange for a nomination. Face-to-face questioning has been floated as an alternative, but it has not taken place because those involved refused, leaving only separate interviews to continue.
There are also clear practical constraints slowing the investigation. Leaving and rejoining Telegram Messenger, or refusing to provide an iPhone passcode, are exercises of a suspect’s rights. Still, when such factors pile up, securing evidence takes far more time than expected. The discovery of additional recordings on a submitted computer, which has broadened the scope of the probe, is another sign that this case will not be wrapped up easily.
Even so, not everything can be blamed on the circumstances. It is hard to avoid asking whether repeated summons and marathon interrogations would have been necessary if searches and evidence collection had been carried out more swiftly at the outset. Weekend questioning does show a will to investigate, yet the familiar criticism that “the initial response was too slow” in political cases is resurfacing.
The investigation now stands at a crossroads. The question of whether to seek an arrest warrant for Kang is coming into view, and the probe involving Kim Byung-ki is also likely to enter a critical phase soon. The stakes are even higher because the police are reopening matters that were previously closed with no charges. The very act of revisiting past decisions demands accountability from the police. If the case ends again in the same way and along the same lines, that choice will lose its credibility.
What the police need now is not another replay of scenes we have already seen. They must reach a clear conclusion based on the evidence and testimony in hand, without being swayed by political clout or invisible pressure. Before talking about expanding investigative powers, the police must use these early-year cases to demonstrate their own standards and resolve.
425_sama@fnnews.com Reporter