Civic Group Alleges Public Official Involvement in Masan Marine New City Project Operator Recruitment... Prosecutors Reported

Changwon City, "An Absurd Suspicion Fabricated from Completely False Facts"

Investigation request submitted by the Movement for the Practice of Right Values Headquarters to Changwon District Prosecutors' Office. /[Photo by Movement for the Practice of Right Values Headquarters]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Saeyan] A civic group in Changwon has requested a prosecution investigation, claiming that the development process of Masan Marine New City promoted by Changwon City, Gyeongnam, is opaque. In response, Changwon City completely denied the allegations, stating they are not true at all.

The Barun Value Practice Movement Headquarters submitted a request for investigation to the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office on the 5th, asking to uncover suspicions of abuse of authority and obstruction of official duties by Changwon City officials during the public recruitment process for the Masan Marine New City private project.

The organization stated that there were suspicions regarding the scoring evaluation and the composition process of the review committee during the 4th private developer selection process for Masan Marine New City conducted by Changwon City this year, prompting the request for investigation.

Changwon City strongly refuted the allegations of official involvement, calling them "baseless suspicions fabricated without any truth."

Kim Seongho, Director of the Marine Port and Fisheries Bureau, explained, "The recruitment was entirely under the authority of the review committee, and Changwon City only received and announced the final evaluation scores," adding, "Some leaked score sheets of certain committee members are being questioned, and suspicions of official involvement are being raised, but since the process was conducted according to established procedures, such things cannot happen."

He also stated, "The case of internal document leaks, including score sheets, has been entrusted for investigation."

Masan Marine New City is an artificial island created by reclaiming Masan Bay using dredged soil from the construction of the Gapo New Port at Masan Port.

Changwon City failed four consecutive times in public recruitment for private developers from 2015 until early this year. The city supplemented the contents of the previous 4th recruitment and conducted the 5th recruitment at the end of May.