"As a result of the investigation, the charges were explained... Arrest warrant issued due to concerns about destruction of evidence."
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Jeon Jae-hoon = The police began to secure the identity of independent lawmaker Kim Byeong-ki, who was suspected of 13 types of misconduct, including soliciting his second son's employment and college entrance, and suspicion of donations for nominations.
It has been a year since the police began an investigation in September last year as various suspicions arose against Rep. Kim.
On the 7th, the Public Crimes Investigation Unit of the Metropolitan Investigation Division of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency applied for an arrest warrant for Rep. Kim to the prosecution on charges of bribery and obstruction of business under the Aggravated Punishment Act for Specific Crimes.
Rep. Kim is accused of promising preferential legislative activities to Soongsil University, Bithumb, and Jinwoo Industrial Co., Ltd. and soliciting his second son's transfer and employment.
There are also charges of interfering with the work of Soongsil University and others during this process.
The police said, "As a result of the investigation, the charges were objectively proven, and considering the possibility of destruction of evidence, we applied for a preliminary arrest warrant."
It was in September of last year that suspicions surrounding Rep. Kim Byeong-gi began to surface in earnest.
It was reported in the media that he personally mobilized aides and district council members to help his second son enroll in Soongsil University, and in the process requested a job at a small to medium-sized company.
Then, in December of last year, it was revealed that Rep. Kim had an expensive meal at a hotel with the CEO of Coupang ahead of the National Assembly audit, and reports followed that Rep. Kim used a room worth 1.6 million won using a lodging invitation he received from Korean Air.
In addition, suspicions were raised that the family received preferential treatment at Boramae Hospital in the district, and that the eldest son passed on NIS work to Rep. Kim's aides.
Afterwards, suspicions were raised that Rep. Kim had requested personnel disadvantages for two former aides employed at Coupang during a meeting with the CEO of Coupang, and that he had requested the hiring of his second son from both Bithumb and Dunamu between September and November 2024.
It is known that the 'suspicion of nomination donations', which is another key axis of Rep. Kim's situation, was not mentioned in this arrest warrant.
Rep. Kim is suspected of receiving 10 to 20 million won from two former Dongjak-gu council members ahead of the 2020 general election and then returning it, and is suspected of turning a blind eye to the circumstances in which independent (then Democratic Party) Rep. Kang Seon-woo received 100 million won from former Seoul City Council member Kim Kyung, even after knowing about it.
In addition, the suspicion of Rep. Kim's spouse's personal use of the corporate card of the vice-chairman of Dongjak-gu Council, the leakage of investigative information by Dongjak Police Station regarding the suspicion, and the suspicion of tampering with the investigation were also subject to police investigation.
