From Accusation Manipulation to Daejang-dong... Park Beom-gye and Kim Jin-wook Emphasize 'Speed Race'

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] The heads of the legal community have announced that they will expedite investigations into the Daejang-dong development preferential treatment allegations and the accusation-stirring allegations. With lawsuits and accusations continuing mainly among leading presidential candidates, the plan is to minimize the impact on the presidential election.

On the 24th, attending the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee plenary session, Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye and Chief of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency Kim Jin-wook emphasized that since these allegations arose during the presidential election period, both cases will be investigated swiftly.

First, Chief Kim stated regarding the accusation-stirring investigation, "The principle is not to consider political advantages or disadvantages," adding, "However, since the investigation has already started, finishing it as quickly as possible is thought to minimize the election's impact."

Earlier, the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency registered former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl and Son Jun-sung, Daegu High Prosecutors' Office Human Rights Protection Officer (former Investigation Information Policy Officer at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office), as suspects on the 9th, four days after receiving the accusation report related to the accusation-stirring allegations. The next day, search warrants were executed at Son's residence and office. This led to criticism from some quarters that the suspects were registered hastily without concrete charges against the leading opposition presidential candidate.

Controversy over investigative fairness somewhat subsided after a person from former Prosecutor General Yoon's side, who filed a complaint against National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won and others over the so-called 'tip-off accusation' allegations, was summoned for investigation two days after the complaint was filed. On the 15th, Choi, a lawyer from Yoon's campaign legal team, was summoned as a complainant and investigated for about two hours. Yoon's campaign's 'Political Operation Truth Investigation Special Committee' had filed complaints on the 13th against Director Park, whistleblower Jo Seong-eun, and unidentified persons for violating the National Intelligence Service Act and Public Official Election Act.

Regarding the preferential treatment allegations in the Daejang-dong development in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, involving Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, the opposition party has launched an all-out pressure campaign demanding a special prosecutor law and a parliamentary audit for fact-finding. However, passing the special prosecutor law is impossible without the cooperation of the Democratic Party, which holds the majority in the National Assembly.

Nonetheless, Minister Park emphasized, "Who owns Hwacheon Daeyu is ultimately about whether preferential treatment was given, so it is necessary to investigate very quickly according to law and principles," adding, "While the election's impact is an important consideration, uncovering the substantive truth is also a very important task."

In the case of the accusation-stirring allegations, summons investigations of those involved are expected to intensify as early as next week. Both the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency and the prosecution have completed analyzing seized materials. The agency analyzed mobile phones and tablet PCs seized from Son and Kim Woong, a member of the People Power Party, while the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office analyzed investigation materials handed over from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Department.

The Daejang-dong development allegations have also been transferred to the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency. The civic group National Central Council of Demolished Residents (Jeoncheolhyeop) filed a complaint with the agency yesterday against Governor Lee on charges of breach of trust under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes. Jeoncheolhyeop also plans to file complaints with the prosecution against former Acting President of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation Yoo Dong-gyu and others on the same charges.