[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] Kim Chang-ryong, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, reiterated that investigations related to President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol and former Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung will be "conducted swiftly and fairly according to law and principles."
At a regular press briefing on the 4th, Commissioner Kim stated, "Please understand that I cannot disclose specific investigation details," but emphasized this point. Currently, investigations related to President-elect Yoon and his family are being led by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, while investigations concerning former candidate Lee and others are being conducted by the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency.
Regarding allegations of false credentials involving Yoon’s spouse, Kim Geon-hee, which are under investigation by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit, Kim explained, "We are investigating complainants, witnesses, and other parties involved in the case and analyzing the related materials received." On the investigation status of the 'alleged instigation of complaints' case in which President-elect Yoon was accused, he responded, "The investigation is proceeding according to law and principles."
Concerning the Daejang-dong related Seongnam City Council case being investigated by the Gyeonggi Nambu Anti-Corruption Economic Crime Investigation Unit, Kim stated, "Former Seongnam City Council Chairman Choi Yoon-gil was sent to prosecution in custody last January, and separately, investigations have begun on current and former Seongnam city council members suspected of lobbying." Regarding the investigation into allegations of improper use of corporate cards by former candidate Lee’s spouse Kim Hye-kyung, which included a search and seizure at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Office that day, he explained, "Necessary materials have been secured and are being analyzed as the investigation proceeds."
Regarding the Seongnam FC sponsorship fund allegations being investigated by the Seongnam Bundang Police Station, Kim said, "We have received a request for supplementary investigation from the Seongnam District Prosecutors’ Office, and the Bundang Police Station is conducting the necessary supplementary investigations." It is known that the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, the superior agency of the Bundang Police Station, recently added two personnel from the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division to support this investigation. This brings the total number of personnel dispatched from the Gyeonggi Nambu Agency to the Bundang Police Station to five.
On the investigation into allegations of poor management of early voting, Kim said, "We received a complaint from civic groups, and the Gyeonggi Nambu Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit, which has jurisdiction over the Central Election Commission’s location, has started the investigation," adding, "We are carefully verifying the facts and regulations related to the complaint." Previously, the Action Alliance for Restoring the Rule of Law (Beopse-ryeon) and others filed complaints against Central Election Commission Chairperson Noh Jeong-hee and former Secretary-General Kim Se-hyun for violations of the Public Official Election Act and dereliction of duty related to poor management during the 20th presidential election early voting.
Meanwhile, when asked about the background of last year’s disposal of all 30 police water cannon and gas vehicles, Commissioner Kim cautioned against overinterpretation, saying, "Unused vehicles were decommissioned in accordance with policies to phase out old official diesel vehicles." Some have speculated that the police scrapping of water cannon and gas vehicles, which are used to respond to large-scale violent incidents in urban areas, was influenced by concerns about the current government’s stance.
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