Choi Eunsun and Kim Jinwoo to Be Summoned on November 4 for "Yangpyeong Gongheung District" Case
Mayor Oh Sehoon to Be Questioned on November 8 Over "Opinion Poll Expense Payment"
Investigation Team to Be Restructured Next Week After Appointment of
The special prosecutor team led by Min Junggi, which is investigating various allegations involving Kim Gunhee, will summon her mother, Choi Eunsun, and her brother, Kim Jinwoo, next month for questioning related to the "Yangpyeong Gongheung District development preferential treatment allegations."
Kim Gunhee, who was arrested and indicted on charges including stock manipulation of Deutsche Motors, interference in candidate nomination by Myung Taekyun, and allegations of solicitation and bribery involving the Unification Church, is attending her first trial held on the afternoon of the 24th at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul. On the 23rd, Special Prosecutor Kim Hyeonggeun stated at a regular briefing, "In connection with the Yangpyeong Gongheung District preferential treatment allegations, we plan to summon Choi Eunsun and Kim Jinwoo as suspects for questioning at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, November 4. The investigation will focus on issues related to development charges."
The Yangpyeong Gongheung District development preferential treatment allegations center on claims that Choi's family company, ESI&D, received special benefits while conducting an apartment development project in the Yangpyeong Gongheung District from 2011 to 2016, such as not paying any development charges. Choi and Kim are suspected of inflating construction costs and fabricating documents to reduce profits in order to minimize development charges.
Additionally, the special prosecutor team plans to summon Mayor Oh next month on the 8th for questioning regarding allegations of proxy payment for opinion poll expenses. Special Prosecutor Kim stated, "In connection with the violation of the Political Funds Act, we plan to summon Oh Sehoon, Mayor of Seoul, at 9 a.m. on November 8 for a face-to-face investigation with Myung Taekyun."
Mayor Oh is suspected of having received unpublished opinion poll results from the Mirae Korea Research Institute, operated by Myung, during the 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election, and of having the costs paid by Kim Hanjeong, who is known as a supporter of Mayor Oh.
Furthermore, the special prosecutor team will proceed with a full-scale reorganization of the investigation team next week, together with two new special prosecutors who will be appointed. Special Prosecutor Kim said, "In order to respond appropriately, considering the progress of the investigation and the trials of indicted cases, we will have the dispatched personnel in charge of completed parts of the investigation return to their original institutions starting next week, when the new special prosecutors are appointed. We will also reorganize the investigation team by dispatching new personnel to handle the remaining investigations and trials."
Three to four dispatched prosecutors, including some chief and deputy chief prosecutors who led the investigation team, will return to their original institutions after completing the handover process. Regarding the reason for their return, Special Prosecutor Kim explained, "The main reason is that the relevant parts of the investigation have been completed, and other factors such as the circumstances of the prosecution and the individuals' wishes were also considered." Previously, the dispatched prosecutors had submitted a statement to Special Prosecutor Min requesting to return to their original prosecution offices. This led to concerns that the momentum of the special prosecutor team's investigation might be waning.
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