Jang Dong-hyuk, the leader of the People Power Party, stated on September 12 that the police likely had no intention of arresting independent lawmaker Kim Byeong-ki. This comment comes as the abolition of the prosecution's supplementary investigation rights is imminent, suggesting that 'absolute power' will shift to the police.
In a Facebook post, Jang noted, "The prosecution rejected the arrest warrant requested by the police," adding, "They probably never intended to arrest him in the first place."
He emphasized that the prosecution's request for supplementary investigation was based on two main reasons: first, the police had done nothing for five months since the investigation into Kim concluded, making it difficult to justify an arrest warrant on the grounds of evidence tampering; and second, after a year of investigation, if the evidence is still insufficient, it raises questions about what the police have been doing all this time. Jang remarked, "At this point, even if an arrest warrant were requested, it would likely be dismissed by the court at lightning speed."
Jang also pointed out that the police only specified five out of thirteen alleged criminal charges in the warrant, notably omitting the critical allegation of receiving illegal political funds. He criticized this as an admission of being a 'political police,' calling it another form of 'case concealment' through a 'deficient warrant.'
Regarding the situation, Jang predicted that Kim would avoid arrest thanks to the prosecution's supplementary investigation rights. Considering the time left before the potential disbandment of the prosecution, he suggested that it is likely the case will end with a non-arrest referral. He expressed concern that in just 20 days, absolute power will shift to a police force that he believes is unfit, stating, "We are entering an era of 'innocent until proven guilty.'"
Kim Byeong-ki is a three-term lawmaker who previously served as the floor leader of the Democratic Party. However, he resigned after submitting his withdrawal from the party amid various controversies during his tenure.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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