[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Jo] Attention is focused on whether the transfer of police officers at the chief superintendent level, which has sparked controversy within the police, will also affect the investigation into preferential treatment allegations in the development project of Gongheung District in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, involving the company of President Yoon Seok-yeol's wife’s family.
According to a compilation of reports on the 7th, in the regular transfer of chief superintendent-level officers carried out on the 2nd, Jeong Myeong-jin, former head of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Unit at the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency, who was responsible for investigating the preferential treatment allegations in the Gongheung District of Yangpyeong, was appointed as the head of the Gyeonggi Northern 112 Integrated Security Situation Room. Chief Superintendent Jeong had been investigating various allegations surrounding Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, alongside the Gongheung District preferential treatment case. Most of the cases related to Lee have been concluded, but the Gongheung District preferential treatment allegations have made little progress and he was transferred through this personnel move.
The preferential treatment allegations in the Yangpyeong Gongheung District development center on claims that the family company of President Yoon’s mother-in-law, Choi Eun-soon, received special favors during the development process. After the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) abandoned the rental housing project on approximately 22,000 square meters in the Gongheung-ri area of Yangpyeong, Choi’s company took over the development. However, Yangpyeong County allegedly extended the project deadline even though the company did not apply for it just before project completion approval and effectively exempted the company from development contribution fees.
The investigation has been conducted by the Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit of the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency since before the 20th presidential election. Despite over a year of raids and witness interviews, there have been criticisms that the investigation has essentially stalled. Regarding this, Woo Jong-su, head of the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency, stated at a press briefing last month, "There seems to be concern that the investigation team is deliberately delaying the case, but upon taking office, I found that the team is conducting the necessary investigations."
The position of head of the Integrated Security Situation Room, to which Chief Superintendent Jeong was appointed, has traditionally been held by an officer of chief superintendent rank. While it cannot be said to be a demotion, there are concerns that it could affect the continuity of the investigation. A new person in charge will inevitably need time to review and understand the previous investigation records. Former Ansan Sangnok Police Station Chief Ban Jin-seok was transferred as the new head of the Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit at the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency.
Police Commissioner General Yoon Hee-geun stated at a press briefing the day before that the recent transfer of chief superintendent-level officers was "the result of careful consideration based on public service ethics, sense of responsibility, and various internal and external evaluations." However, within the police force, criticism remains that this is a retaliatory personnel move against officers who opposed the establishment of the Police Bureau under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety last year and attended the nationwide police chiefs’ meeting.
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