Jang Dong-hyuk, the leader of the People Power Party, stated on October 12 that the police likely had no intention of arresting independent lawmaker Kim Byeong-ki. This comment comes as the abolition of supplementary investigation rights for prosecutors is imminent, suggesting that 'absolute power' will shift to the police.
In a Facebook post, Jang noted, "The prosecutors rejected the arrest warrant requested by the police," adding, "They probably had no intention of arresting him in the first place."
He emphasized that there were two main reasons for the prosecutors' request for supplementary investigation: 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 destruction; 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. He 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 illegal political funding. 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 prosecutors' supplementary investigation rights. Considering the time left before the potential disbandment of the prosecutors' office, he suggested that it is highly likely Kim will be sent without detention. He expressed concern that in just 20 days, absolute power will shift to such a police force, ushering in an era of 'innocence for the 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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