[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist] As the suspicion of 'preferential treatment and lobbying in the Daejang-dong development project' has emerged as the biggest issue in the presidential election landscape, a National Assembly inspection of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office will be held on the 18th.
Criticism from opposition party lawmakers is expected to pour down on Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo, who served as a legal advisor to Seongnam City until just before his appointment as Prosecutor General, pointing out problems in the investigation such as the belated search and seizure of Seongnam City Hall.
At the Gyeonggi Province inspection by the National Assembly's Administrative Safety Committee held that day, Lee Jae-myung, governor of Gyeonggi Province and the ruling party's presidential candidate, will appear in person to respond to lawmakers' questions regarding the permit process and profit structure design of the Daejang-dong development project conducted during his tenure as mayor of Seongnam.
The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee will conduct an inspection of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office at 10 a.m. at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-dong, Seoul.
As with previous inspections of frontline prosecution offices such as the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, opposition lawmakers' questions during this inspection are expected to focus on the Daejang-dong allegations.
Last week, after President Moon Jae-in ordered a "swift and thorough investigation," the prosecution hurriedly requested an arrest warrant for Kim Man-bae, the major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu, but the court dismissed the warrant on the grounds that "the necessity for detention was not sufficiently demonstrated." After the dismissal of Kim's arrest warrant, the prosecution belatedly conducted a search and seizure of Seongnam City Hall but excluded the mayor's office and the secretariat from the search targets, causing controversy.
During the inspection, opposition lawmakers are expected to criticize the prosecution's immature investigation by citing such cases and reiterate the need to introduce a special prosecutor.
In particular, opposition lawmakers are expected to argue that Prosecutor General Kim should be excluded from this investigation due to his prior experience as a legal advisor to Seongnam City before his appointment as Prosecutor General.
Yoon Han-hong, a member of the People Power Party and the secretary of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, claimed that during Kim's confirmation hearing, only the fact that he served as a legal advisor at the law firm Hwahyeon from September 2020 to May 3, 2021, was recorded, but his service as a legal advisor to Seongnam City from December 1 last year to May 7 this year was not recorded. Yoon alleged that Kim deliberately omitted this experience to conceal his political affiliation or relationship with Seongnam City.
In response to such opposition attacks, ruling party lawmakers are expected to counter with questions related to the 'accusation inducement' allegations involving former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl and investigations concerning Yoon's mother-in-law and wife, Kim Kun-hee.
Additionally, there will likely be continued attacks regarding Yoon's recent loss in the disciplinary cancellation lawsuit, focusing on the disciplinary reasons such as the "order to prepare a court analysis document" and "interference with Channel A's inspection and investigation."
Meanwhile, during the morning inspection of Gyeonggi Province by the National Assembly's Administrative Safety Committee, numerous questions related to the Daejang-dong allegations are expected to be directed at Governor Lee.
Given that the prosecution must investigate how far Lee was informed about the Daejang-dong development project from Yoo Dong-gyu, former planning director of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, who was previously arrested, and whether there was approval or tacit consent in the selection of business operators or the design of the profit distribution structure, attention is focused on what explanations Lee will provide that day.
The dedicated investigation team of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (led by Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim Tae-hoon) investigating this case arrested lawyer Nam Wook, who arrived at Incheon Airport at 5:14 a.m. that day, and transferred him to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.
Nam, known as the owner of Cheonhwa Dongin No. 4, a subsidiary of Hwacheon Daeyu, is a figure who entered the Daejang-dong development project in 2009 along with accountant Jung Young-hak. He is considered one of the "Daejang-dong Four," along with Hwacheon Daeyu major shareholder Kim, former planning director Yoo, and others.
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