'Sexual Assault No Charges' Kim Byung-wook Applies for Reinstatement... "Will Put Gaseyeon on Legal Trial"

Voluntarily Withdrew Earlier Claiming No Burden on Party
Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Concludes 'No Charges'

Assemblyman Kim Byung-wook, Independent [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-joo] Independent lawmaker Kim Byung-wook, who voluntarily left the People Power Party amid allegations of sexual assault against his secretary, is expected to apply for reinstatement on the 14th after being cleared of charges by the police investigation.

According to political circles and the police, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency concluded on the 9th that there was "no suspicion" regarding the sexual assault allegations against Representative Kim and closed the investigation.

Earlier, the "Garo-Sero Research Institute" claimed in January that in 2018, Kim assaulted an intern secretary from another lawmaker’s office at a hotel in Andong, Gyeongbuk, where Lee Hak-jae, a Bareunmirae Party lawmaker, had his aide stationed.

At the time, Representative Kim completely denied the allegations, stating, "This is not true at all," but he left the People Power Party to avoid burdening the party. The People Power Party’s Aide Council also stated that the person identified as the victim conveyed that "there was no inappropriate incident whatsoever."

After receiving notification that the police investigation had been closed, Kim reportedly met with Acting Party Leader Joo Ho-young and Secretary-General Jung Yang-seok on the 13th to express his intention to apply for reinstatement to the Gyeongbuk Provincial Party.

Through Facebook, he said, "Upon seeing the seven words 'no indictment (no suspicion),' memories of the past events surged, bringing both emptiness and anger simultaneously," adding, "After the false accusations by Garo-Sero Research Institute, I left the party at their earnest request, but I humbly apologize belatedly to the constituents and party comrades in my district who suffered confusion and pain because of this."

Representative Kim plans to take civil and criminal legal action against the Garo-Sero Research Institute, which raised the sexual assault allegations. He stated, "Defamation by spreading false information under the Information and Communications Network Act is a serious crime punishable by up to seven years in prison," and added, "For the sake of other victims shedding tears because of those vicious people, I will hold Garo-Sero Research Institute fully accountable and bring them before the judgment of the law."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.