Year-long probe into Kim Byung-kee nearing conclusion, police chief says

Police said Monday that the investigation into allegations surrounding independent lawmaker Kim Byung-kee has in effect entered its final stage and that they expect to reach a conclusion soon. However, given the significance of the case, investigators are continuing supplementary reviews and legal analysis to ensure the completeness of their findings.

Hong Seok-gi, head of the Korean National Police Agency's National Investigation Headquarters, made the remarks at a regular press briefing held Monday at the agency's office in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. "The broad framework has largely been sorted out," Hong said. "The more important the case, the more carefully we examine even minor details to prevent prosecutors from sending it back for supplementary investigation. I believe it will be wrapped up promptly."

Asked why the investigation has taken so long, Hong said the gap between how a case appears from the outside and what investigators actually need to verify is larger than people might expect. "From the outside, it may look like the investigation is dragging on, but in practice there are many things that need to be confirmed and supplemented, which takes time," he said. He added that while speed matters, the priority now is ensuring completeness so that prosecutors do not request further investigation after the case is referred.

On why the 13 cases linked to Kim — including allegations of job-placement favors for family members and violations of the Political Funds Act — have not been referred to prosecutors separately, Hong said the time had come to decide on all of them at once. "It is appropriate to sort out all the cases together — referring those that constitute offenses and closing without referral those that do not," he said.

Asked whether police had consulted with prosecutors on legal interpretations, Hong said broad-level consultations were possible where necessary, and that the investigative team was reviewing legal issues specific to individual cases on its own.

Responding to criticism that the investigation into a high-profile figure had been drawn out, Hong acknowledged that since the adjustment of police's authority to close cases independently, speed had been emphasized — but that gaps in completeness had emerged in the process. "We are now directing the investigation in a way that does not sacrifice speed while also securing completeness," he said.

On whether police planned to seek custody of Kim, Hong said the sequence would be to first determine which of the 13 cases to refer and which to close without referral, then assess the need for custody in the cases to be referred. "We are currently at the stage of reviewing and supplementing all the cases," he said.

Hong also said that while the 13 cases had been sorted out at a broad level, the investigative team and review division were continuing to discuss additional supplementation and the application of legal principles. "It is difficult to disclose at this point which charges are being examined most closely. When the results come out, it will be understandable," he said.