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Korean diplomat Hongkon Kim has been charged with three counts of indecent assault.
Police have decided not to extradite a South Korean diplomat accused of indecent assault in Wellington.
In a statement Tuesday, Detective Inspector John Van Den Heuvel said that after considering the evidence and legal advice, the required threshold for extradition proceedings had not been reached.
In July last year, a complaint for indecent assault involving a member of the New Zealand embassy staff was filed against South Korean diplomat Hongkon Kim.
Following further investigation, he was arrested and charged with three counts of indecent assault in February.
Van Den Heuvel said: “As the alleged offender had left New Zealand before the complaint was lodged with the police, the possibility of seeking the extradition of the alleged offender from his home country had to be considered.
“After careful consideration of the evidence and legal advice, the police have concluded that while the standard of evidence has been met for prosecuting the alleged offender and requesting an arrest warrant, the threshold has not been met. higher required to initiate extradition proceedings. ”
Kim was returned to South Korea from a post in the Philippines after the accusations sparked a diplomatic problem in the country, opening up the possibility of New Zealand police seeking extradition.
Earlier, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern raised the accusation directly with South Korean President Moon Jae-In.
Ardern described the move as “one of the most important actions” it could take.
Earlier, the alleged victim, a Wellington man, said he was “puzzled” by the possibility that Kim was not extradited.
If you cannot be extradited, tell us why. There must be an investigation on this.
“It is necessary to exhaust the justice processes. If the courts decide that Kim is not guilty, I will respect the court’s decision, ”he said.
He said the months-long fight for a resolution had taken its toll.
“I cannot sleep at night, the continuous stress, the anxiety … My sense of self-worth has been destroyed, I no longer trust the processes of justice.”
Police said the complaint had been informed of the decision and “acknowledges that the complainant was disappointed with this result.”
