Partial Omission of Lawmaker Family Personal Information Consent Form
Full Committee Resolution Required... "Temporary Full Committee Meeting to be Held if Necessary"
Kim Tae-eung, Head of the Special Investigation Team on Real Estate Transactions at the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (Standing Commissioner), held a briefing at the Government Seoul Office Building on the afternoon of the 21st to announce plans for a full-scale investigation of real estate transactions involving five minor opposition parties and members of the National Assembly from the People Power Party and their families. (Photo by Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission)
[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The government announced on the 21st that it will begin a full-scale investigation of real estate transactions involving members of the five non-negotiating parties in the National Assembly and others for one month until the 21st of next month. In the case of the main opposition party, the People Power Party, it was said that an immediate investigation is difficult due to the partial omission of family personal information consent forms.
The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC), the main anti-corruption agency, held a briefing at the Government Seoul Office and briefed on the plan to conduct a full-scale investigation of real estate transactions involving opposition party lawmakers and their families, excluding the Democratic Party of Korea.
On the same day, the ACRC held a plenary committee meeting, its highest decision-making body, and decided to investigate possible illegalities in real estate transactions of 15 lawmakers, including 14 members from the five non-negotiating parties?Justice Party, People Party, Open Democratic Party, Transition Korea, Basic Income Party?and independent lawmaker Hong Joon-pyo, along with their spouses and direct relatives, totaling 75 people, for one month starting tomorrow.
However, the People Power Party stated that an immediate investigation starting tomorrow is difficult due to documentation issues. The ACRC explained, "Some personal information consent forms related to the families of People Power Party lawmakers are currently missing," and added, "To ensure procedural fairness with the Democratic Party, whose investigation has already been completed, we have requested supplementation." They further noted, "After the data is supplemented, a plenary committee resolution is required, and the plenary committee meets once every two weeks. We plan to convene the plenary committee and start the investigation as soon as the supplementation is completed, and if a prompt investigation is necessary, we may consider holding an extraordinary plenary committee meeting."
The investigation will review real estate transaction records within the seven-year statute of limitations. The focus will be on document investigations such as actual transaction records and ownership details, while suspected cases of speculation or illegality will be subject to on-site inspections. Submission of financial transaction records and explanations will be requested. If the one-month investigation period from tomorrow until the 21st of next month is insufficient, the period will be extended. Suspected violations of laws will be sealed together with the Democratic Party’s full investigation results, reported to the government joint special investigation headquarters, and notified to the affiliated parties (or the respective lawmakers in the case of independents).
Kim Tae-eung, head of the ACRC’s Special Investigation Team on Real Estate Transactions, said, "We plan to thoroughly investigate even the smallest suspicions that may arise from the public’s perspective, in accordance with laws and principles," and added, "We will conduct this investigation strictly as well."
Chairperson Jeon Hyun-hee and Anti-Corruption Deputy Director Ahn Seong-wook declared conflicts of interest and completely recused themselves from related duties for this investigation, as they did during the Democratic Party’s full investigation, to guarantee political neutrality and fairness.
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