Police Close Internal Investigation into 'Woo Won-sik's Wife's False Subsidy Claims' Allegation: "Insufficient Evidence"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] The police have closed the investigation due to insufficient evidence regarding the corruption allegations related to the spouse of Democratic Party lawmaker Woo Won-sik.

The Anti-Corruption and Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced on the 15th that they had closed the investigation, stating that "there is insufficient evidence to recognize criminal charges" in connection with the case in which Woo's wife was accused of embezzling subsidies from a resident participation budget project in Nowon-gu at the end of last month.

Earlier, the Nowon-gu residents' group 'Nowon Baroseugi Jumin Yeondae' submitted a report to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission on October 20 last year, raising suspicions that the counseling center operated by Woo's wife falsely claimed local subsidies while carrying out the resident participation budget project, thereby fraudulently receiving funds. They also claimed that the center hired their daughter as an assistant instructor and embezzled instructor fees.

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission requested an investigation from the police, and administrative measures such as audits and recovery of fraudulent funds were forwarded to the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

This case was assigned to the Nowon Police Station in Seoul in December last year and later transferred to the Anti-Corruption and Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. The unit reportedly summoned the whistleblower for questioning in February and also summoned Woo's wife for investigation.

A police official stated, "After comprehensively investigating the facts based on materials and testimonies from related parties, no criminal charges warranting a transition to a formal investigation were recognized, so the case was closed."

Kim Sang-min, the representative of Nowon Baroseugi Jumin Yeondae, said, "Despite submitting sufficient evidence to the police, the investigation was closed," and added, "We will formally file a complaint with the prosecution as soon as possible."

Meanwhile, Woo's side had previously explained that "the related allegations are completely untrue" when the police began the investigation into the suspicions last year.