Daejang-dong 'Last Keyman' Allegation Proof Difficult... Where Will the Upper-Level Investigation Go?

Jung Jin-sang Summoned for Investigation but Proving Charges Seems Difficult... Additional Summons Unlikely and Time Limited

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] Attention is focused on the direction of the prosecution's investigation into Jeong Jinsang, Deputy Chief of the Secretariat of the Democratic Party's Election Countermeasures Committee, who is implicated in the preferential treatment and lobbying allegations related to the Daejang-dong development project in Seongnam City. This is practically the last chance to uncover the involvement of higher-ups, but analyses suggest that proving the charges will not be easy.

According to the legal community on the 18th, the Daejang-dong dedicated investigation team of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Team Leader Kim Taehoon) is currently verifying the statements and investigation details obtained after summoning Deputy Chief Jeong last week. A prosecution official explained that this process, which involves cross-checking the investigation details secured so far?such as phone conversations with key defendants and allegations of forced resignation of heads of Seongnam City-affiliated institutions?is taking considerable time.

Deputy Chief Jeong is currently under accusation for abuse of authority and coercion related to allegations of pressuring Hwang Museong, the inaugural president of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation (Seongnam UDC), to resign. Last year, a recorded conversation released by former President Hwang revealed that the late Yoo Hang-gi, former head of Seongnam UDC's Development Project Headquarters, repeatedly mentioned 'Director Jeong' and 'the Mayor' in a context suggesting pressure to resign.

Additionally, it has been confirmed that Deputy Chief Jeong had phone calls with Yoo Dong-gyu, former Planning Director of Seongnam UDC and a key defendant in the Daejang-dong case. Jeong is suspected of attempting to destroy evidence by making several calls on the day and the day before the investigation team's search of Yoo's office.

However, the legal community widely believes that proving Deputy Chief Jeong's charges will be difficult. The investigation into abuse of authority and coercion has proceeded solely based on former President Hwang's testimony, and the speaker of the recorded conversation is deceased. A lawyer with a background in prosecution analyzed, "If Deputy Chief Jeong simply refutes the contents of the recording, the prosecution could be at a disadvantage, so additional clues are needed." In fact, Deputy Chief Jeong has consistently denied the allegations, stating, "I never discussed President Hwang's position with anyone, and as a policy secretary, I monitor the progress of affiliated institutions' pledged projects but do not intervene in personnel matters."

It is also difficult to prove the breach of trust charge related to Deputy Chief Jeong's approval of key reports on the Daejang-dong project while serving as Seongnam City's Policy Director until 2018. Unlike former Planning Director Yoo, Jeong's intent to seek private gain is not evident, and the document approvals are likely to be defended as policy decisions or administrative support. It is reported that Jeong explained during the investigation that the approvals were given as 'cooperative endorsements.'

Conversely, if the investigation team proves Deputy Chief Jeong's breach of trust charges, the investigation into higher-ups through the approval chain is expected to accelerate. However, the likelihood of the investigation team summoning Deputy Chief Jeong again is low. The current summons was postponed and adjusted several times, and with less than two months until the presidential election, it is difficult for the prosecution to broaden or expedite the investigation.

Time constraints also pose a variable. The statute of limitations for abuse of authority is seven years, and based on the resignation pressure recording dated February 6, 2015, the statute will expire in early next month. Although the statute has been suspended due to a reapplication by the accuser, this does not affect the investigation speed. Another lawyer stated, "With variables such as the presidential election, prosecution personnel changes, and the Daejang-dong trial, it will not be easy to determine when to announce the investigation results."