Police said they have largely completed most of their investigative work on 13 allegations involving Rep. Kim Byung-kee, and are now conducting a final legal review and supplementary work. As the investigation has stretched close to a year, prompting criticism of "insufficient investigative capability," police stressed that the more important a case is, the more thorough a review is needed to enhance completeness rather than speed.
At a regular press briefing held on the morning of the 3rd at the National Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, National Office of Investigation Chief Hong Seok-ki was asked why the investigation into Rep. Kim continues to be delayed. "In broad terms, most of it has been sorted out," he said. "The more important the case, the more likely the prosecution will demand supplementary investigation if the review is not done properly, so we are examining even the smallest details to prevent that from happening."
He added, "We will be able to wrap it up quickly and well before long."
Regarding the possibility of separating the case involving Rep. Kim and referring it first, he effectively drew a line. "There has been a misunderstanding since the previous chief's tenure over whether separate referral is correct, or whether handling the entire case together is correct," Hong said. "As time passed, the differences of opinion were resolved, and now conditions have been established to judge the 13 cases as a whole."
"At this point, distinguishing between separate referral and bulk referral holds little significance," he said. "I judge that the time has come to reach a conclusion all at once."
To criticism that police might lack investigative capability, given that the probe into major figures such as Rep. Kim and HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk has been prolonged, he explained, "The contents of the case as seen from the outside and the contents that must be verified during the actual investigation are far more different than people think."
"People may point out that the investigation is dragging on or that capability is lacking, but during the investigation there is more to supplement and verify than what is known externally, so I ask for understanding that the investigation period has lengthened," he said. "It is a difference of whether to focus on speed or on completeness."
He also stressed, "The more important a case is, the more it becomes a case in which police investigative capability is evaluated, so the leadership's position is to raise rigor even further."
Police maintain that no decision has yet been made on whether to secure custody of Rep. Kim. "After sorting out which of the 13 cases will be referred and which will not, and reviewing the entirety of the cases to be referred, a standard will be established for judging whether to secure custody," Hong said. "At present, the stage before that is nearly complete, and there is no need to prejudge the subsequent stages."
Asked whether the necessity of securing custody should be judged first, he explained again, "Depending on the type of case, there are cases where custody must be secured from the early stages to obtain materials needed for the investigation, and there are cases where it is difficult to proceed to securing custody or coercive investigation without clarifying legal issues to some degree. This case is going through a process like the latter."
