Security Service employees and associates who inflated construction costs for the presidential office and residence to embezzle funds worth hundreds of millions have been indicted while in custody.
On the 2nd, the Violent Crime Investigation Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Boseong) announced that they have indicted Security Service facility officer Jeong Mo, charged with violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (bribery), and construction broker Kim A, charged with violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes (fraud), both under custody. Additionally, interior construction contractor Kim B was indicted without detention on charges including bribery. This followed the Board of Audit and Inspection detecting corruption related to the presidential office construction and requesting an investigation into the Security Service officer by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office around October 11 last year.
According to the prosecution, Security Service officer Jeong, together with interior contractor Kim B, inflated the cost of improving the Security Service office space in the presidential office building to embezzle 100 million won, and during this process, had a subordinate prepare false official documents. Furthermore, Kim B was made to purchase a retired Security Service senior's forest land at about twice the market price, 70 million won. It was also revealed that construction broker Kim A threatened Kim B, who carried out facility construction costing 176 million won for the Security Service chief's official residence and staff housing, to have him pay the costs. When the Board of Audit and Inspection began auditing Jeong, he obstructed the audit by submitting false materials.
Construction broker Kim A is accused of exploiting his friendship with Security Service officer Jeong to secure the contract for bulletproof window construction at the presidential office and residence, inflating the construction costs and embezzling a total of 1.57 billion won.
The prosecution conducted searches of the defendants' residences and offices of five related companies from November last year to September this year. A total of 40 individuals, including 15 Security Service officers, were summoned and investigated. Through this, in addition to the matters requested for investigation by the Board of Audit and Inspection, it was further uncovered that Jeong had awarded Kim A window construction work worth about 200 million won for former presidents' private residences and promised to receive 16 million won from Kim B as a kickback for securing construction contracts.
A prosecution official stated, "We will make every effort to maintain the prosecution so that the defendants receive sentences commensurate with their crimes."
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