The Corruption Investigation Office Begins Probe into Prosecutors over 'LCT Inadequate Investigation Allegations'

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] The High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit (Gong-su-cheo) has registered and launched an investigation into prosecutors involved in the 'LCT lenient investigation' allegations. This case involves a Busan civic group accusing the Busan District Prosecutors' Office in 2016 of conducting a sloppy investigation into preferential treatment allegations related to LCT involving political and business circles, and filing a complaint against the prosecutors and their leadership at the time with Gong-su-cheo.

According to Busan Participation Solidarity on the 12th, Gong-su-cheo notified that it has registered the case related to the so-called 'LCT sloppy investigation allegations' complaint submitted by Participation Solidarity in March.

Busan Participation Solidarity and the Busan Movement Headquarters for Clearing Deep-rooted Evils and Social Reform filed a complaint with Gong-su-cheo in March against 13 former and current prosecutors, stating, "To hold accountable those responsible for the 'lenient investigation' of LCT corruption-related individuals, the prosecutors and leadership involved in the investigation at the time must be investigated."

LCT, a 101-story supertall building erected in front of Haeundae Beach in Busan, sparked controversy as it was known to have conducted all-around lobbying with political and business circles during the licensing preferential treatment process. In 2016, the Busan District Prosecutors' Office launched an investigation into the allegations, detaining and indicting 12 people related to LCT; however, among the political and business figures, only Lee Young-bok, chairman of LCT, former Blue House Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Hyun Ki-hwan, and former Liberty Korea Party lawmaker Bae Deok-kwang were implicated.

However, recently, a so-called LCT preferential sale list has emerged, and the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency's Anti-Corruption Economic Crime Investigation Unit has begun investigating the list, making the outcome of the investigation difficult to predict.