Lee Gyuseop, Jinju City Council Member, Faces Controversy Over Illegal Use of Construction Company Vehicles

Borrowing and Using a Corporate-Owned Vehicle Free of Charge from an Acquaintance in the Construction Industry

Assemblyman Lee Gyuseop

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] It has been confirmed that Lee Gyuseop, a member of the Jinju City Council in Gyeongnam, has been using a vehicle owned by a construction company’s corporation after borrowing it since his election in the June 1 local elections, sparking controversy.

Although it was agreed to use the company vehicle temporarily until purchasing a vehicle, he has not returned it for over two months, violating the Act on the Prohibition of Improper Solicitation and Graft and the City Council’s Code of Ethics.

According to the Jinju City Council on the 18th, it was identified that Lee borrowed and used a corporate-owned vehicle free of charge from an acquaintance engaged in construction-related business at the end of June.

The monthly rental cost of the vehicle is about 800,000 to 850,000 KRW. Calculated over two months, Lee gained an unfair benefit of approximately 1.6 million KRW.

In an interview with a media outlet conducting follow-up coverage, a company official claimed, “We temporarily lent the work vehicle, but it has not been returned yet.”

In response, Lee explained, “I did not know it was a corporate-owned vehicle; I thought it was personally owned,” and promised, “I will return the vehicle immediately.”

Lee, who ran as a member of the Democratic Party in Jinju City’s District Da in the June 1 local elections and was elected, previously worked in advertising for a provincial daily newspaper and engaged in mushroom farming and other agricultural work before finally winning a city council seat after several attempts.

He serves as the vice-chairman of the Urban Environment Committee, and the company president who lent the vehicle is said to be a high school junior of his.