"Necklace Gifted While Requesting Personnel Favor for Son-in-Law Park Sungkeun"
Former Prime Minister's Chief of Staff Park to Appear in the Afternoon
Ministry of Land Official Searched Over Yangpyeong Expressway Allegations
At approximately 9:58 a.m. that day, Chairman Lee arrived in a wheelchair and wearing a mask at the special prosecutor's office located in the KT Gwanghwamun Building West in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to appear as a suspect.
Lee did not respond to reporters' questions, such as "Did you personally give the 62 million won necklace to the First Lady?" or "Is there a connection between gifting the necklace and the personnel request for your son-in-law, Park Sungkeun, the former Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister?" and proceeded directly to the interrogation room.
The special prosecutor's team, which indicted the First Lady on August 29, is accelerating its investigation into the so-called "sale of offices" allegations, which involve the delivery of expensive gifts to the First Lady in connection with various requests for favors.
Previously, suspicions arose that the necklace worn by the First Lady during her North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) trip in June 2022 was omitted from former President Yoon Sukyeol's asset disclosure. According to the Public Service Ethics Act, jewelry valued at more than 5 million won must be reported, but the necklace, valued at 62 million won, was reportedly not included in the asset disclosure.
While the First Lady claimed the necklace was a counterfeit purchased in Hong Kong 20 years ago, Chairman Lee submitted a written confession stating that in March 2022, he gifted the First Lady high-end jewelry, including a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace, and requested that his eldest son-in-law, attorney Park Sungkeun, a former prosecutor, be given an opportunity to serve in public office. Attorney Park was in fact appointed as Chief of Staff to then-Prime Minister Han Ducksoo about three months after the necklace was delivered.
The special prosecutor's team is expected to question Chairman Lee about the circumstances of the necklace gift and whether the personnel request was fulfilled. Attorney Park is also scheduled to appear before the special prosecutor's team for questioning at 2 p.m. that day.
Special Prosecutor Conducts Additional Search and Seizure of Ministry of Land Official over Yangpyeong Expressway Route Change
Additionally, the special prosecutor's team is conducting further searches and seizures related to the "Yangpyeong Expressway route change allegations," targeting Kim, an official at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport who was in charge at the time.
In a press release that day, the special prosecutor's team stated, "Today, we are conducting additional searches and seizures at five locations, including Kim's residence and workplace, in connection with the allegations regarding the Yangpyeong Expressway terminal section route change."
The special prosecutor's team is investigating suspicions that the terminal route of the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway was changed to land owned by the First Lady's family, thereby providing them with special benefits.
The core of the allegations is that, during the tenure of former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Heeryong, consideration was given in May 2023 to changing the expressway's terminal from Yangseo-myeon, Yangpyeong County, to Gangsang-myeon, where the First Lady's family owns land. Kim Sungkyo, a People Power Party lawmaker and former Yangpyeong County Governor, is known to have requested the route change to the area where the First Lady's family land is located. Former Minister Won canceled the project in July 2023 after the controversy arose.
Kim, the official, is reported to have proposed the route change to the consulting firm at the time. He is currently working at the Wonju Regional Land Management Office.
Previously, the special prosecutor's team conducted searches and seizures at lawmaker Kim's National Assembly office, the Minister of Land's office, the Korea Expressway Corporation's design department, and the offices of Donghae Engineering Consultants and Kyungdong Engineering, which were involved in the expressway project.
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