Arrest warrant for Nonghyup chief Kang Ho-dong rejected at prosecution stage

An arrest warrant sought by police against Nonghyup Central Federation President Kang Ho-dong, who faces allegations of receiving more than 100 million won ($74,500) in illicit gifts, has been rejected at the prosecution stage.

The First Non-Referral Review Division of the Seoul Central District Public Prosecution Service said Friday it had rejected arrest warrants sought by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency against Kang and a contractor representative identified only as A.

The rejection came three days after the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Metropolitan Investigation Unit's anti-corruption team applied for the warrants on Tuesday.

The prosecution service said it reviewed the evidence gathered by police and the content of pre-warrant interviews with the suspects, and concluded that the key charges had not been sufficiently substantiated to justify seeking arrest warrants.

It added that given the investigation had continued for more than a year and a half, and taking into account the suspects' cooperation with questioning, it was difficult to recognize the necessity and proportionality of detention at this stage.

The prosecution service summoned Kang for a direct interview on Thursday before reviewing police investigation records and the suspects' own explanations.

Kang is accused of receiving more than 100 million won in gifts on two separate occasions around the time of the January 2024 Nonghyup Central Federation presidential election, from the head of a service contractor that did business with Nonghyup affiliates. Police are examining whether the payments were linked to requests for business favors.

Kang has also been under investigation on separate allegations that some Nonghyup Central Federation departments used public funds to purchase expensive gifts — including red ginseng products and cosmetics — and delivered them to the president's office and other recipients.

Police are also investigating whether Kang violated the Anti-Graft Act by allegedly receiving large condolence payments from current and former Nonghyup executives and employees at the funeral of his mother-in-law in May last year.

Police raided Nonghyup Central Federation headquarters in October last year and have since summoned Kang multiple times for questioning as a suspect.