Police Conduct Search and Seizure at Dongjak Station Over Alleged Attempt to Quash Investigation Involving Kim Byungki

The police have launched a compulsory investigation into allegations that independent lawmaker Kim Byungki attempted to influence an ongoing investigation.

Yonhap News Agency

The Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced that, starting at 9:50 a.m. on January 23, investigators were dispatched to Dongjak Police Station in Seoul to conduct a search and seizure operation.

This investigation began with suspicions that a former Dongjak District Council member, referred to as A, provided approximately 1 million won worth of meals to Kim's wife, Ms. Lee, using the district council's business expense card between July and September 2022.

Initially, the police had conducted a preliminary inquiry into these allegations from April to August last year, but the case was closed with a finding of no wrongdoing. However, during this process, allegations arose that Kim's side attempted to exert influence over Dongjak Police Station to have the investigation dropped.

Through the search and seizure conducted on this day, the police plan to closely examine the investigation records and business expense usage details they have obtained to determine whether there was any external pressure during the investigation process at that time.