The arrest warrant for Assemblyman Kim Chang-ho, who is accused of violating the Public Official Election Act and other charges related to the so-called 'Gyeongnam Uiryeong-gun Council Padding Jumper Gift Incident,' was once again dismissed.
According to the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency on the 18th, Assemblyman Kim underwent a warrant hearing on this day, following a previous one in April, on charges of gifting padding jumpers worth approximately 5 million won to 10 fellow council members and 15 council staff members through the council's administrative department employee last December.
The suspect interrogation held at the Changwon District Court Masan Branch began at 11 a.m. and lasted about an hour.
The judge in charge of warrants dismissed the arrest warrant application, citing protection of the defendant's right to defense and no concerns regarding flight risk or evidence tampering.
When controversy arose over the provision of the padding jumpers, Assemblyman Kim explained in a press release last January, "In November of last year, I attended a demonstration at a livestock feed factory and, while talking with a local company representative, the topic of sponsoring uniforms came up, so I had the administrative department employee deliver the padding jumpers," adding, "I did not consider that this could violate the law."
The police plan to prosecute Assemblyman Kim without detention.
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