Home > Business > Industry

Police investigate lawmaker for allegedly soliciting employment favors from Bithumb, Dunamu

Published: 24 Feb. 2026, 12:08

Cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb's headquarters in Seoul is seen on Feb. 24. [YONHAP]

Police have launched a probe involving a search and seizure into allegations that independent Rep. Kim Byung-kee attempted to use his influence to secure a job for one of his sons.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s public crimes investigation unit began executing raid warrants at two locations in southern Seoul — Bithumb’s headquarters in Gangnam District and the Bithumb Financial Tower — at around 9:40 a.m. on Tuesday, police said.

Rep. Kim is suspected of attempting to solicit employment for his younger son from cryptocurrency exchanges Bithumb and Dunamu. The lawmaker's son joined Bithumb in January last year and worked there for about six months.

Rep. Kim, who sits on the National Assembly’s political affairs committee overseeing the Financial Services Commission, repeatedly questioned Dunamu, a competitor of Bithumb, during committee sessions. Suspicions have been raised that the questioning may have been done in retaliation after Dunamu allegedly refused the employment request.

Police previously summoned executives from cryptocurrency exchanges for questioning as witnesses on Feb. 3 and 4.

Rep. Kim is scheduled to appear for police questioning as a suspect for the first time on Thursday and Friday.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM EUN-BIN [[email protected]]