Prosecutors Demand 5-Year Prison Sentence for Kim Inseop, 'Baekhyeondong Venue Lobbyist'

The prosecution has requested a 5-year prison sentence for Kim In-seop, former CEO of Korea Housing Technology, who was indicted in custody last May on allegations of preferential treatment related to the Baekhyeon-dong development.

On the 15th, at the sentencing hearing held before the 27th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Ok-gon), the prosecution asked the court to "sentence him to 5 years in prison and confiscate over 6.6 billion won."

Kim In-seop, former CEO of Korea Housing Technology, who was identified as a 'liaison lobbyist' related to the Baekhyun-dong development project, is attending the pre-arrest detention hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 14th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Kim is accused of receiving 7.7 billion won from Jung Ba-ul, chairman of the real estate development company Asia Developer, as a bribe for facilitating permits for the Baekhyeon-dong development project from September 2015 to March of this year. He is also charged with obtaining business rights for a canteen worth about 50 million won.

The prosecution believes that from April 2014 to February 2017, Kim lobbied Lee Jae-myung, then mayor of Seongnam and current leader of the Democratic Party, and Jeong Jin-sang, former chief political coordinator at the Democratic Party’s representative office. Through this, it is judged that the Seongnam R&D PFV operated by Chairman Jung secured the business rights.

Furthermore, the prosecution revealed investigation results showing that during the project, Chairman Jung received preferential treatment worth 20 billion won by changing the donation targets, reducing the proportion of rental apartments, and obtaining approval for illegal retaining wall installations.

Chairman Jung is currently on trial after being indicted in June on charges of embezzling and breaching trust of 48 billion won from Seongnam R&D PFV and Asia Developer, among others.