Jeong Jang-seon, Mayor of Pyeongtaek, "It is not true that a third party accepted bribes"

Statement Made Through Online Briefing

Jung Jang-seon, the mayor of Pyeongtaek City in Gyeonggi Province, has strongly denied the bribery allegations raised by the police.

Jeong Jang-seon, mayor of Pyeongtaek, is addressing the bribery allegations during an online briefing on the 6th. Photo by Pyeongtaek City

On the 6th, Mayor Jung stated in an online briefing that the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit’s referral of him to the prosecution on bribery charges is "not true."

Earlier, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced that it had sent Mayor Jung to the prosecution without detention on charges of third-party bribery. Mayor Jung is accused of coercing an unfair service contract between a subsidiary of Company A, which was in charge of operating the 'Pyeongtaek Eco Center' project, and his close aide B, who worked in his election campaign. The police also referred Company A’s officials and Mr. B along with Mayor Jung on charges of providing bribes or aiding third-party bribery.

In a statement released during the briefing, Mayor Jung said, "There was no improper request from Company A," and "The police’s claim that I gave preferential treatment to the company is completely untrue." He also refuted the police’s announcement that he coerced an unfair service contract between Company A and Mr. B, saying, "Company A hired them in the form of a service contract because it was necessary; I did not ask for it."

Mayor Jung urged the prosecution to conduct a swift investigation, stating, "The police conducted multiple searches over a year and a half not only on me but also on related officials and companies, investigating everything, but they failed to present any evidence of preferential treatment."