Police Conduct Search and Seizure at Seongnam FC and Doosan Construction in Connection with Former Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung's 'Donation Suspicion'

Bundang Police Station / Photo by Bundang Police Station Homepage Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] The police have conducted a search and seizure of Seongnam FC and Doosan Construction in connection with the 'Seongnam FC sponsorship fund suspicion' involving Lee Jae-myung, the former Gyeonggi Province governor and presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea.

On the 17th, the Bundang Police Station in Gyeonggi Province began a search and seizure of the Seongnam FC club office and Doosan Construction headquarters from 10 a.m. A police official stated, "We cannot confirm specific investigation details such as the materials secured related to the search and seizure."

This search and seizure is the second forced investigation following the search and seizure of five departments at Seongnam City Hall on the 2nd, including Policy Planning, Urban Planning, Architecture, Sports Promotion, and Information and Communication. Although the police decided not to prosecute due to insufficient evidence in September last year regarding the 'Seongnam FC sponsorship fund suspicion,' the prosecution ordered a supplementary investigation in February.

The suspicion of improper sponsorship of Seongnam FC involves former Governor Lee receiving sponsorship funds totaling over 16 billion won from six local companies?Doosan Construction, Naver, Nonghyup, Bundang CHA Hospital, Hyundai Department Store, and Alphadom City?during his tenure as Seongnam mayor from 2014 to 2017, and providing various benefits in return. Seongnam City Hall is suspected of offering conveniences such as building permits and land use changes to these companies.