Prosecutors ask police to bolster case before seeking arrest warrant for lawmaker Kim Byung-kee

Prosecutors on Friday asked police to conduct supplementary investigation before seeking an arrest warrant for independent lawmaker Kim Byung-kee, who is under investigation on 13 allegations including using his influence to secure jobs for his children. Prosecutors said the case for detention had not been sufficiently established and that some charges required additional evidence.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's Public Investigation Division 2 said it had requested supplementary investigation from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in connection with the arrest warrant police had sought for Kim, who faces charges including violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes related to bribery and obstruction of business.

"Taking into account the fact that the suspect complied with seven rounds of questioning, as well as the overall progress of the investigation over the approximately five months between the final questioning session — on April 10 — and the filing of the arrest warrant application, we determined that the necessity of detention had not been sufficiently demonstrated," the office said.

It added that a close review of the collected evidence and the suspect's defense had found that some charges required further corroboration, and that supplementary investigation had been requested on those grounds as well.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's public crime investigation unit had applied for the arrest warrant on Monday. Police said they had taken into account that the charges were substantiated by objective evidence and that there was a risk of evidence destruction.

The warrant application is reported to cover allegations including the employment of Kim's second son and his admission to Soongsil University through a transfer, the alleged overlooking of illicit political donations to independent lawmaker Kang Sun-woo, the receipt of sponsorship funds from Silla Leisure, the acceptance of hotel accommodation vouchers from Korean Air, and the misappropriation of official expense funds by Kim's spouse while serving on the Dongjak-gu council.

Police launched a full-scale investigation last September after receiving a complaint filed by a civic group, conducting search and seizure operations at Kim's home and other locations. From the start of the probe through April, police questioned Kim as a suspect a total of seven times.

Because Kim holds a seat in the National Assembly, even if prosecutors file for a warrant, the Assembly must first vote to approve his arrest before a court can proceed with a warrant review.