A civic group has filed a complaint against Lee Sangkyung, former First Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, who sparked controversy over purchasing an expensive apartment through gap investment (buying a home with a tenant under a jeonse contract).
The Committee for the Protection of People's Livelihood, a civic organization, announced on October 24 that it had reported the former vice minister to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on charges of abuse of authority, defamation, and violations of the National Public Service Act and the Conflict of Interest Prevention Act.
In the complaint, the committee argued, "On October 19, the former vice minister stated on a YouTube channel, 'If housing prices fall, you can just buy then.' This is an act of deceiving and insulting the public," claiming it constitutes a violation of the National Public Service Act and defamation.
The committee also stated, "The fact that the former vice minister's spouse purchased an apartment worth around 3 billion won in Bundang-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province in July last year using gap investment constitutes abuse of authority and a violation of the Conflict of Interest Prevention Act."
It is known that at around 8 p.m. the previous day, the former vice minister informed Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Yoonduk of his intention to resign. President Lee Jaemyung approved the dismissal plan for the former vice minister on the same day.
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