Prosecution Indicts and Detains Businessman Close to Former Yongsan Tax Office Chief Yoon Woo-jin

Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Seocho-dong, Seoul.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist] A businessman close to former Yongsan Tax Office chief Yoon Woo-jin has been brought to trial on charges of receiving over 600 million won under the pretext of lobbying various public officials related to permits and approvals.

The Anti-Corruption and Violent Crime Division 1 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Jeong Yong-hwan) indicted businessman Choi on the 19th for violating the Attorney-at-Law Act.

Choi is accused of receiving 645 million won in 10 installments from two developers from November 2015 to March 2018, under the pretext of requests and mediation involving public officials related to real estate permits in the Yeongjongdo area of Incheon.

The prosecution believes that among these payments, a 100 million won check was received by Choi together with former chief Yoon.

Former chief Yoon is the elder brother of Yoon Dae-jin, Planning Director (Chief Prosecutor) at the Judicial Research and Training Institute, who is a close associate of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol.

The prosecution stated that investigations are ongoing regarding the accomplice relationship and whether actual lobbying of public officials took place.