Prosecutors Request Supplementary Investigation on Arrest Warrant for Kim Byung-gi: “Need for Detention Insufficiently Demonstrated”

[Financial News] Prosecutors rejected an arrest warrant requested by police for independent lawmaker Kim Byung-gi, who faces multiple allegations including bribery, and requested a supplementary investigation.
The Public Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, headed by Chief Prosecutor Kim Hyeong-won, said on the 11th that it had requested a supplementary investigation after reviewing the arrest warrant sought by the Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Metropolitan Investigation Unit at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency for Kim.
Prosecutors said, "Considering comprehensively that the suspect responded to seven rounds of questioning and the progress of the investigation over approximately five months between the suspect's final questioning on April 10 and the application for an arrest warrant, the need for detention has not been sufficiently demonstrated."
They added, "After closely reviewing the evidence collected and the suspect's explanations, we determined that the evidence needed to be strengthened regarding some of the allegations and therefore also requested a supplementary investigation into those matters."
Earlier, on the 7th, police sought an arrest warrant for Kim on charges including bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Crimes, occupational breach of trust, and obstruction of business.
Police suspect that Kim received benefits worth a total of approximately 67 million won, including employment for his second son and support for university tuition, in exchange for carrying out legislative activities favorable to a particular company.
The warrant reportedly also included allegations that he received hotel accommodation vouchers for his family from an airline and privately used a district council member's business-expense card.
Another allegation against Kim is that he acquiesced in independent lawmaker Kang Sun-woo's receipt of 100 million won in nomination money ahead of the 2022 local elections.
 



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