Former Star Mobility chairman Kim Bong-hyun (pictured), who fled after turning off his electronic devices before his trial, was caught in prosecution after 49 days.
The Sixth Investigation Division of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutor’s Office (Chief Prosecutor Lee Jun-dong) arrested former President Kim, who was hiding out in an apartment in Dongtan New Town, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, around at 15:57 on the 29th.
Heo Jeong, second deputy chief prosecutor of Seoul’s Southern District Prosecutor’s Office, said at a press conference that day, “During the arrest process, there was considerable commotion, such as former President Kim trying to escape through the ninth-story porch window.” he said.
The prosecution has set up a team dedicated to arresting a total of 23 people, including five investigators from the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office, to track down former Vice President Kim. The dedicated team executed a total of 50 seizures and search warrants and analyzed the communications of more than 100 individuals to confirm former President Kim’s escape route. After finding out former President Kim’s whereabouts, the prosecution opened the apartment door with the help of firefighters and arrested former President Kim.
On 11 last month, just before his final trial, former President Kim cut off the electronic device he was wearing on his wrist and escaped on bail near Paldang Bridge in the city of Hanam. He was arrested and charged in May 2020, but released on bail in July last year.
The prosecution worked with the Coast Guard to crack down on smuggling of former President Kim. Prosecutors arrested those around them to pressure former President Kim to turn himself in. Former President Kim’s nephew Mr. A was arrested on charges of damaging public property after he drove a car and drove him to the vicinity of Paldang Bridge and helped him damage electronic devices. Two acquaintances who helped former President Kim escape were also arrested on charges of escaping the criminal. On the 28th, the prosecution issued an arrest warrant for former President Kim’s older sister on charges of being on the run, invalidating her passport and requesting a red notice from Interpol.
