Police investigating allegations that independent lawmaker Kang Sun-woo, formerly of the Democratic Party of Korea, falsified her residence registration and abused power at a hospital have decided not to refer the case to prosecutors.

According to police on the 28th, Seoul Gangseo Police Station decided not to refer Rep. Kang on suspicions of violating the Resident Registration Act, instigation and aiding under the Criminal Act, and violating the Public Official Election Act, respectively. Police said they made the decision due to insufficient evidence for the Resident Registration Act and Criminal Act allegations, and because the statute of limitations had expired for the Public Official Election Act allegation.

Independent lawmaker Kang Seon-woo, who is under suspicion over a "1 billion won nomination donation," leaves the courtroom after completing a pretrial detention warrant hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 3rd. /Courtesy of News1

Ahead of the 22nd general election in 2024, Kang was accused of transferring her family's residence on paper to Gangseo District, her constituency, to maintain eligibility to run. Allegations emerged that even though Kang's family actually lived in an apartment and an officetel in Jongno District, they changed their residence under the Resident Registration Act to an apartment in Gangseo District.

Based on statements from parcel recipients and vehicle entry and exit records, police found indications that Kang and her family actually lived in the Gangseo District apartment and concluded there was no evidence to consider it a falsified transfer.

Kang was also suspected of visiting a general hospital in Seoul in July 2023, during the COVID-19 crisis, where a family member was hospitalized, and leveraging her status as a lawmaker to interfere with visitation processing and infection control. At the time, allegations were raised that Kang demanded a visit after only taking a rapid antigen test without a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) result.

Police confirmed that under the hospital's infection control guidelines, a negative rapid antigen test alone allowed visits, and they dismissed allegations related to obstruction of business and abuse of authority.

Separate from the cases not referred by police, Kang was indicted and detained on charges of receiving 1 billion won from former Seoul city council member Kim Kyung as a nomination donation ahead of the 8th nationwide local elections in 2022, and is set to stand trial on the 29th.

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