Police Arrest Two, Including Former Coast Guard Chief, on Suspicion of Corruption in Sting Operation Introduction

Indictment for Bribery and Abuse of Authority, Warrants Issued for Practitioners... Investigation Following Citizen Group's Complaint

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The police have requested arrest warrants for two individuals, including former Korea Coast Guard Commissioner Kim Hong-hee, who is suspected of deliberately lowering the performance specifications during the procurement process of patrol vessels and accepting bribes.

According to the police on the 19th, the Anti-Corruption Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency recently applied for arrest warrants for former Commissioner Kim and former Equipment Planning Division Chief A on charges of bribery. Kim also faces charges of abuse of authority.

The police believe that while Kim served as the Coast Guard Commissioner from 2020 to 2021, he received bribes worth approximately 37 million KRW from an engine supplier involved in the patrol vessel bidding process. Former Division Chief A, who was the responsible official, is suspected of accepting about 24 million KRW in bribes from the same supplier.

The police began investigating allegations of corruption involving Kim and others after receiving a complaint in December 2022 from the civic group Jayudanghan Hogukdan, which claimed that the Coast Guard intentionally lowered the performance specifications when procuring a 3,000-ton class large vessel as part of the West Sea Power Enhancement Project.

In February of last year, the police conducted a search and seizure at the Korea Coast Guard headquarters in Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, securing documents related to the vessel procurement plan and bidding. In July, they searched the headquarters of the engine supplier located in Seocho-gu, Seoul, and in November of the same year, they searched the residences of former Commissioner Kim and other Coast Guard officials.