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Police reopen probe into DP lawmaker's wife over alleged expense account misuse

Published: 19 Jan. 2026, 13:32

Former Democratic Party floor leader Kim Byung-kee [YONHAP]

Police on Monday launched a full-scale reinvestigation into allegations that the wife of Democratic Party Rep. Kim Byung-kee used a local councilor's corporate credit card for personal expenses years ago.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said it conducted a search and seizure at Seoul's Dongjak Ward council and the home and office of a former Dongjak council member surnamed Jo in the morning in connection with the allegations involving Kim's wife, surnamed Lee.

Lee is suspected of personally using Jo's corporate card between July and September 2022. The southern Seoul ward of Dongjak is Kim's constituency.

Police previously conducted an investigation into Lee's suspected misuse of public funds from April to August of last year but cleared her of all charges, triggering another allegation that Kim had pulled some strings to press the Dongjak Police Station to cover up the case.

Indeed, former aides of the lawmaker claimed in November of last year that the police improperly closed Lee's case due to external pressure.

In the reinvestigation, the Seoul police agency recently summoned and questioned a former Dongjak Police Station official suspected of leaking investigation information to Kim. The agency also summoned one of the lawmaker's former aides as a witness on Monday.

Yonhap