Prosecutors Conduct Search and Seizure at Supervision Firm Offices in LH and Public Procurement Service Bid-Rigging Case

Seoul, Gyeonggi Offices 4 Locations and 12 Supervisory Company Employees' Residences Under Search and Seizure

The prosecution investigating allegations that supervision companies made illicit requests to judges during the bidding process for projects commissioned by LH (Korea Land and Housing Corporation) and the Public Procurement Service has conducted a search and seizure of the supervision companies.

Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

The Fair Trade Investigation Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Yong Seong-jin) carried out search and seizure operations from the 20th to the 21st at four supervision company offices and the residences of 12 supervision company employees across Seoul, Gyeonggi, and other regions nationwide.

The prosecution has been investigating since August last year allegations of collusion worth billions of won in the supervision service bids for apartment construction projects, including Happy Housing districts commissioned by LH and the Public Procurement Service.

During this process, they uncovered evidence that about ten judges involved in the evaluation received money and goods from companies and influenced the awarding of contracts to those companies.

Earlier, the prosecution indicted the head of a supervision company and a former national university professor who was a judge, both detained in custody. The prosecution is continuing additional investigations into suspects involved in bribery allegations.