Head of Corruption Investigation Office on Choi Sang-mok's 'US Treasury Bond Purchase': "If It Violates Law, Investigation Will Follow Principles"

Oh Dongwoon: "Deeply Agree with the Integrity of High-ranking Officials"

On the 3rd, Oh Dong-woon, head of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit (PCC), emphasized regarding Choi Sang-mok, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance, who was revealed to hold U.S. 30-year Treasury bonds worth about 200 million won, "If there are any parts that violate the law, we will thoroughly investigate them according to the law and principles."

On the same day, during an emergency question session held at the National Assembly plenary session, when Lee Eon-ju, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, asked, "Could the U.S. Treasury bonds held by Deputy Prime Minister Choi be considered an act of using undisclosed information in advance?" Oh responded, "I deeply agree with the emphasis on the integrity of high-ranking officials," and answered accordingly.

He added, "There are certain restrictions on the investigation targets of high-ranking officials' crimes, so regarding those parts, if there are any violations of the law, we will ensure a thorough investigation according to the law and principles," he emphasized.

Odongwoon, the head of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, is responding to questions regarding President Yoon Seok-yeol's decision to cancel detention at the plenary meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held at the National Assembly on the 12th. 2025.3.12 Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Earlier, according to the '2025 Regular Asset Change Report for Public Officials' disclosed by the Government Public Officials Ethics Committee on the 27th of last month, Deputy Prime Minister Choi reported holding 30-year maturity bond products worth approximately 197.12 million won.

Rep. Lee mentioned that Deputy Prime Minister Choi was criticized for the same issue during his 2023 confirmation hearing and had sold the U.S. Treasury bonds at that time, then fiercely criticized, "The fact that the economic chief was investing in U.S. Treasury bonds amid a sharp rise in the exchange rate is essentially betting on a foreign exchange crisis," adding, "Normally, once sold, one would not buy again, but this is very deliberate and shameless."