'Trap Corruption and Bribery Allegations' Former Coast Guard Chief Kim Hong-hee Detained... "Concern Over Evidence Destruction"

Additional Bribery Confirmed Through Prosecution's Supplementary Investigation

Former Commissioner of the Korea Coast Guard Kim Hong-hee was arrested by the prosecution on charges of deliberately lowering the performance specifications during the procurement of patrol vessels and accepting bribes.

Kim Hong-hee, former Commissioner of the Korea Coast Guard, attending the detention hearing. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the legal community on the 18th, Judge Jung Jae-wook of the Seoul Central District Court, who is in charge of warrants, issued an arrest warrant for former Commissioner Kim, who is accused of bribery and other charges, stating that "there is a risk of evidence destruction" following the prosecution's request.

Kim is accused of receiving bribes worth approximately 37 million won from an engine supplier during the bidding process for patrol vessels while serving as commissioner from 2020 to 2021. He is suspected of deliberately lowering the performance specifications when ordering a 3,000-ton class large vessel as part of the Coast Guard's West Sea power enhancement project, thereby giving preferential treatment to the company.

The police, who initially investigated the case, applied for an arrest warrant for Kim in April last year, but the Seoul Central District Court dismissed it after a pre-arrest hearing, citing "disputes exist and the necessity to guarantee the right to defense." The police handed Kim over to the prosecution without detention in July last year, and the Criminal Division 5 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (led by Chief Prosecutor Kim Tae-heon), after supplementary investigation, confirmed additional bribery by Kim and requested an arrest warrant.

During the supplementary investigation, the prosecution also confirmed that broker A was involved in the crime and indicted him in custody in January. The prosecution plans to conduct additional investigations on Kim within the maximum detention period of 20 days before sending the case to trial.