Arrest warrants for Kang Sun-woo and Kim Kyung come 38 days late
Published: 06 Feb. 2026, 00:00
![Police on Feb. 5 sought arrest warrants for independent Rep. Kang Sun-woo, left, and former Seoul Metropolitan Council member Kim Kyung over allegations they accepted 100 million won ($75,000) in nomination-related bribes. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/06/8da98a26-a62e-48f5-8669-118decd44341.jpg)
Police on Feb. 5 sought arrest warrants for independent Rep. Kang Sun-woo, left, and former Seoul Metropolitan Council member Kim Kyung over allegations they accepted 100 million won ($75,000) in nomination-related bribes. [NEWS1]
Police on Thursday sought arrest warrants for independent Rep. Kang Sun-woo, formerly of the Democratic Party, and former Seoul Metropolitan Council member Kim Kyung over allegations they accepted 100 million won ($75,000) in nomination-related bribes tied to the 2022 local elections. The warrants were requested 38 days after the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Anti-Corruption and Public Crime Investigation Division launched the probe, prompting criticism that authorities have moved too slowly in investigating political corruption cases.
The delay raises questions about whether the case required such a prolonged investigation before seeking detention warrants. Allegations involving the 100 million won nomination bribery scandal surfaced on Dec. 29 last year following a media report that disclosed audio recordings. According to the recordings, Kang, who served as a member of the Democratic Party’s Seoul nomination screening committee ahead of the 2022 local elections, allegedly accepted money delivered by Kim Kyung through an aide. The recordings also suggested that Kim Byung-kee, then head of the party’s Seoul nomination committee, was aware of the payment and tolerated it.
Cases supported by audio evidence generally accelerate investigations because the material is more difficult to dispute, but observers say that the case has been handled questionably since the early stages of the probe. Kim Kyung departed for the United States just two days after the allegations surfaced, and her departure was revealed by media reports six days later. Critics argue that investigators failed to monitor a key suspect's movements, raising concerns that evidence, including phone records, could have been destroyed during that period. Some have questioned whether authorities lacked investigative capacity or deliberately avoided early intervention.
Concerns about sluggish police investigations extend beyond this case. Rep. Kim Byung-kee, who is also linked to the current scandal, faces separate allegations involving 13 suspected cases of illegal nomination funding connected to the 2020 parliamentary elections. Police have not summoned him for questioning even once. By contrast, critics point out that in cases where high-ranking officials such as the president or prime minister directly order investigations, authorities often mobilize quickly, sometimes forming joint investigation teams within a day.
The government and ruling party are moving forward with plans to dismantle the prosecution service and create new agencies, including a public prosecution office and a serious crimes investigation bureau. As these reforms advance, the role of police investigations is expected to expand significantly. Experts say that development requires strengthening investigative capabilities while ensuring fairness and transparency to build public trust.
If police responses continue to vary depending on political circumstances, public confidence in law enforcement could deteriorate further. Consistent and impartial investigations are essential not only to address individual corruption cases but also to sustain the credibility of broader criminal justice reforms.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)