Police have banned Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Kim Byung-kee, who is embroiled in an alleged "nomination bribery" case, from leaving the country.
According to ChosunBiz reporting compiled on the 14th, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Public Crime Investigation Unit imposed an overseas travel ban on Kim and five others, including a spouse, a person surnamed Lee. The ban also covered Dongjak District Council Vice Chair Lee Ji-hee, who was identified as being involved in the delivery of money and valuables, and two former Dongjak district council members who wrote a petition stating they had delivered money and valuables to Kim.
Kim is suspected of having received and then returned a total of 30 million won from two former Dongjak district council members around the 2020 National Assembly election in exchange for a future nomination.
The two former Dongjak district council members are said to have submitted, in Dec. 2023, through former Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Lee Soo-jin, a petition to the office of Lee Jae-myung, who was then the party leader, stating that they had given money and valuables to Kim's side and then got them back. Lee said she submitted the petition to Kim Hyun-ji, now the first presidential secretary, who at the time was a secretary in Lee Jae-myung's office, but said it was ignored.
Police conducted searches and seizures at six locations, including Kim's residence, on the day. Police also summoned a former aide, a person surnamed Kim who exposed alleged wrongdoing by Kim, as a reference witness and is under investigation.