Namwook: "I understand that Lee Jae-myung decided to increase Daejang-dong profits"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Nam Wook, a private contractor involved in the 'Daejang-dong gang,' testified that Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, made decisions such as increasing the apartment floor area ratio and opening the Seopangyo Tunnel to increase the development profits of Daejang-dong during his tenure as mayor of Seongnam, with the goal of fulfilling his campaign promises.

On the 9th, Nam testified as a witness at the trial on the Daejang-dong development preferential treatment allegations held by the Criminal Division 22 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Joon-cheol), stating, "At that time, there was an issue where the profits did not match if we had to pay about 200 billion won for park development." This implies that Lee decided on a profit securing plan to cover the costs of the 'Full Park Development of Industrial Complex No. 1' project, which he had pledged during the election, using the profits from the Daejang-dong development.

Nam stated, "The floor area ratio had to be increased, the proportion of rental apartments lowered, and the Seopangyo Tunnel opened for the project profits to increase," adding, "I understand that Mayor Lee made such decisions collectively to create the park development costs." He also testified that "After the meeting, it would have been reported to Mayor Lee through former Seongnam Urban Development Corporation Director Yoo Dong-gyu and former Democratic Party Chief of Staff Jeong Jin-sang."

When the prosecutor asked, "Wasn't Mayor Lee showing commitment to the park development project because fulfilling campaign promises for re-election was important?" Nam replied, "That was the number one campaign promise," and "I understand it was Mayor Lee's will."

Earlier, candidate Lee pledged to develop the Industrial Complex No. 1 site in the old downtown area of Seongnam into a park during his mayoral campaign. After winning the election, he made a large-scale announcement of the park development plan, promoting it as a model case of social return on development profits.