[2021 National Audit] "Knew in April but still..." Criticism over Delayed Police Investigation of 'Hwacheon Daeyu'

National Assembly Audit of the Police Agency
Calls for Joint Prosecution-Police Investigation
Also Demands Probe into Yoon Seok-yeol's Mother-in-law's Suspected Violation of Farmland Act

Kim Chang-ryong, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, appeared at the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee's audit of the National Police Agency held on the 5th at the National Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, and took the oath as a witness. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] On the 5th, during the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee's audit of the National Police Agency, criticism continued over the police's sluggish investigation into the preferential treatment allegations related to the Daejang-dong development project in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi Province.

The committee members pointed out that although the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Financial Services Commission had detected suspicious fund flows related to Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management (Hwacheon Daeyu) in April and passed the information to the police, there had been little progress in the police investigation over the past five months.

Seo Beom-su, a member of the People Power Party, criticized, "If they had recognized it in April, the investigation would have been much faster than the prosecution, but they did not conduct any investigation and ignored it. Only after it was highlighted by media reports did they form a dedicated team." He added, "The prosecution has made various advances such as raids, but the police, who found clues five months earlier, have done nothing." Lee Eun-joo of the Justice Party also criticized, "The police investigation cannot even keep up with the media's tail."

Voices calling for a joint investigation by the prosecution and police or the introduction of a special prosecutor also emerged. Park Wan-joo of the Democratic Party of Korea emphasized, "It is inefficient for the prosecution and police to investigate and track funds separately. I think a joint investigation should be conducted." Kim Hyeong-dong of the People Power Party argued, "Rather than conducting inefficient investigations, wouldn't it be better to hand it over to a special prosecutor? The police can also be freed from unnecessary misunderstandings."

In response to these criticisms, Kim Chang-ryong, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, said, "It was necessary to analyze the FIU information," and added, "I believe the National Investigation Headquarters will thoroughly uncover the truth using various approaches."

Within the ruling party, there were focused calls for police investigations regarding allegations of violations of the Farmland Act by Choi, the mother-in-law of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol. Lee Hae-sik of the Democratic Party of Korea demanded a police investigation, stating, "Choi generated nearly 100 billion won in development profits from the private development of Gongheung District in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, and it is presumed that she had prior knowledge of the private development." Baek Hye-ryun of the same party pointed out, "This is speculation using farmland and is definitely a violation of the Farmland Act." Commissioner Kim responded, "If it is judged that there was no intention to cultivate the land, it can be considered a violation of the Farmland Act."