Prosecution Indicts Gwak Jeong-gi, Lim Jeong-hyeok, and Others on Suspicion of Requesting Investigation Cover-up in Baekhyeon-dong Case

The prosecution investigating the 'Baekhyeon-dong development corruption' case indicted lawyer Kwak Jeong-gi (former head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Intelligent Crime Investigation Unit) and lawyer Lim Jeong-hyeok (former Deputy Prosecutor General of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office) on the 9th. Both are accused of receiving money under the pretext of requesting the suppression of the investigation into the Baekhyeon-dong development corruption case.

The Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 3 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Yong-sik) announced that on the same day, Kwak was arrested and indicted for violating the Attorney-at-Law Act, while Lim was indicted without detention.

Seoul Seocho-dong Supreme Prosecutors' Office.

Lawyer Kwak is accused of receiving 700 million won in legal fees from Jung Ba-ul, chairman of Asia Developer and a real estate developer, between June and July 2022, related to the police investigation of the Baekhyeon-dong case, as well as 50 million won under the pretext of official socializing and requests. Additionally, he is accused of giving 4 million won as a case introduction fee to Police Sergeant Park, a current police officer. Kwak's side denies the charges, claiming legitimate legal defense activities, but the court issued an arrest warrant on the 22nd of last month, citing "concerns about evidence destruction."

Kwak served as head of the Special Investigation Division of the National Police Agency and head of the Intelligent Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency while in the police force, before joining a law firm in 2019. He was involved in investigating the so-called 'Club Burning Sun case.'

The prosecution indicted lawyer Lim without detention. Earlier, the court dismissed the prosecution's request for an arrest warrant for Lim, stating, "It is necessary to guarantee the right to defense, and it is difficult to see a risk of evidence destruction."

Lim is accused of receiving 100 million won into his personal account in June last year from Chairman Jung, under the pretext of official socializing and requests related to the prosecution's investigation of the Baekhyeon-dong development corruption. The prosecution believes Lim received money with the understanding that "to cover up a major case, one must be at least the Minister of Justice." Lim denies the charges.

Additionally, Police Sergeant Park, who received 4 million won as a case introduction fee and accepted entertainment exceeding 1 million won each from real estate brokerage operator Lee and construction company representative Woo, was also indicted without detention. He is charged with violating the Attorney-at-Law Act and the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.

Meanwhile, Chairman Jung, who is believed to have provided a total of 1.33 billion won as a bribe to suppress the investigation, was already arrested and indicted in June last year on charges of embezzlement and breach of trust.