[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] A, the nephew of Kim, who is known to have helped the escape of former Star Mobility chairman Kim Bong-hyun, a key figure in the 'Lime Scandal,' has been detained.
On the 8th, Kwon Ki-man, the chief judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Southern District Court, issued an arrest warrant for A, stating, "There is a risk of flight and evidence destruction."
A appeared at the pre-arrest detention hearing (warrant substantive examination) in the afternoon and entered the courtroom without responding to reporters' questions such as "Did you know he would escape and help him?" and "What was the reason for participating in the escape?"
The Criminal Division 6 of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Lee Jun-dong) requested an arrest warrant for A on the previous day on charges of damaging public property. After investigating Kim's movements before and after his escape, the prosecution judged that A's detention was necessary.
Kim cut off the electronic tracking device (electronic bracelet) he was wearing on his wrist as a bail condition and fled near Paldang Bridge in Hanam City, Gyeonggi Province, on the 11th of last month. A is suspected of assisting the escape, appearing together in the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage on that day.
The prosecution applied charges of damaging the electronic bracelet, considering the Criminal Act, which does not punish aiding a relative's escape as harboring a criminal.
Earlier, the Seoul Probation Office of the Ministry of Justice requested a police investigation on charges of damaging public property immediately after Kim cut off the electronic bracelet.
This was in consideration of the fact that defendants released on bail, unlike violent criminals such as sex offenders, murderers, robbers, and kidnappers, do not have clear punishment provisions even if they cut off the electronic device.
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