Former Lawmaker Kim Eui-gyeom Indicted Without Detention Over Alleged Cheongdam-dong Drinking Party

Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office to Indict Former Lawmaker Kim on the 12th without Detention

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Former Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Eui-gyeom, who raised the 'Cheongdam-dong drinking party allegations' against Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, has been indicted without detention.

The Cheongdam-dong drinking party allegations were raised by former lawmaker Kim on October 24, 2022, during a comprehensive audit by the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee. The controversy escalated when the internet media outlet The TamSa reported related details on YouTube.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 7 (Chief Prosecutor Kwon Seong-hee) indicted former lawmaker Kim and The TamSa reporter Kang Jin-gu on the 12th without detention on charges including defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act. Former lawmaker Kim claimed that Minister Han, President Yoon Seok-youl, and about 30 lawyers from the law firm Kim & Chang held a late-night drinking party at a luxury bar in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on July 19-20 of the same year. However, police investigations later revealed that these claims were not true.

The police closed the case with 'no prosecution' due to the parliamentary immunity of the lawmaker. However, following the complainant's objection, the case was forwarded in January. The prosecution summoned former lawmaker Kim for questioning as a suspect in July.