Independent lawmaker Kim Byung-kee, former floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, speaks with Democratic Party lawmakers Park Ji-won and Yoo Dong-su during the first plenary session of the July extraordinary National Assembly session on July 21. [Yonhap]
Independent lawmaker Kim Byung-kee, former floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, speaks with Democratic Party lawmakers Park Ji-won and Yoo Dong-su during the first plenary session of the July extraordinary National Assembly session on July 21. [Yonhap]

Police, who have been investigating a range of misconduct allegations against independent lawmaker Kim Byung-kee — formerly the Democratic Party of Korea's floor leader — for nearly a year, are now weighing whether to convene an investigative review committee covering the entire case.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Monday it had received multiple requests to convene such a committee in connection with the Kim case and was reviewing them.

A Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency official said at a regular press briefing that day that the requests had been submitted "with the intent of asking for the case to be handled swiftly," adding that the agency would "review them and reflect the findings in the investigation."

As the police investigation drags on with no end in sight, parties connected to the case have recently filed a series of requests with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to convene the review committee.

Person A, a former aide who says Kim pressured Coupang Inc. to take personnel action against them — the alleged victim in an obstruction-of-business case — filed a request Tuesday asking the committee to examine why the investigation has been delayed, saying the prolonged wait had exposed them to secondary harm and made it difficult to earn a living.

In the filing, Person A wrote: "Please review whether Kim's status as a sitting lawmaker is being treated as a privilege, and whether investigators have been hesitant to act because of the political fallout."

Person A added: "As time passes, there is a growing risk that the situation will be distorted in a way that favors Kim, a sitting lawmaker, and works against the victim. It is frightening and distressing to find myself, as a victim, having to petition a powerful investigative body just to seek relief."

Person A also called on the review committee to "examine the Kim Byung-kee case in its entirety, recommend a swift disposition, and clearly expose any deficiencies in the overall investigative process."

Seomin Minsaeng Daechaek Wiwonhoe, a civic group that filed a complaint against Kim, submitted its own request to the committee on July 31. The group wrote in its filing that while investigations of both the complainant and the accused had already been completed following its complaint last September, "more than 11 months have passed without a conclusion, raising suspicions that there may be other factors at play."

Police on Monday repeated their standing position that the investigation into Kim was in its "final stages."

A Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency official said "it is taking time to verify specific details" and that the agency was "working closely with headquarters on legal reviews and other matters." The official added: "As we have said repeatedly, the investigation can be described as being in its final stages."

However, when asked whether the investigation could be wrapped up this month, the official said only: "We will make every effort."


arin@heraldcorp.com