Warrants for 2 Aides of Hong Joon-pyo's Campaign Denied

Warrants for the arrest of two figures suspected of illegally using political funds from former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo's campaign during the 2021 People Power Party presidential primary were denied on the 27th. Judge Son Bong-gi, head of the warrant division at the Daegu District Court, conducted pre-detention suspect interrogations (substantive warrant reviews) that day for Park, head of an election services firm, and Kim, the campaign's accountant at the time, both accused of violating the Political Funds Act, before rejecting the warrants.

Judge Son cited as grounds for rejection that "the materials submitted by the investigative agency alone make it difficult to conclude there is a risk of flight or destruction of evidence." He added, "Coercive measures in investigations are permitted only within the minimum extent necessary," and explained, "Considering the need to guarantee the suspects' substantive right to defense, among other circumstances, it is difficult to conclude that the grounds for detention and their necessity and appropriateness have been sufficiently demonstrated at this stage."

Former Mayor Hong attended the court that day for the substantive warrant reviews of Park and others as legal counsel and denied the allegations. He submitted transaction records and National Assembly policy documents to the court, arguing that campaign expenditures deemed by police to be fabricated transactions were in fact genuine.