PROSECUTORS RELEASE NAM WOOK

[Anchor Lead]

Prosecutors have released lawyer Nam Wook, the key figure in the Daejang-dong land development scandal. The request of former Seongnam Development Corporation executive Yoo Dong-kyu to review the legality of his arrest has been dismissed.

[Pkg]

​Lawyer Nam Wook, a key figure in the Daejang-dong land development scandal and the actual owner of Cheonhwadongin No. 4, has been released. Investigators at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office said they released Nam at 12:20 a.m. Wednesday. However, they added this doesn't mean Nam will be investigated without physical arrest. They will decide whether to request an arrest warrant for him after additional investigations. The prosecutors released Nam for now because finishing interrogation within 48 hours is unfeasible and his testimony needs to be verified. Earlier, the prosecutors detained Nam upon arrival in Korea for alleged promises of bribes and breach of trust, then interrogated him for two days. Nam was questioned about whether he promised bribes to former Seongnam Development Corporation executive Yoo Dong-gyu in return for favors in the Daejang-dong land development project. Sources say the prosecutors also interrogated him about the "5 billion club" mentioned in Jeong Young-hak's audio file. Meanwhile, Yoo's request to review the legality of his arrest has been dismissed. The Seoul Central District Court rejected his request on Tuesday night. The court said Yoo's arrest warrant was issued on legal grounds and the necessity of keeping him in custody was recognized. This week, the prosecutors plan to put him on trial for alleged bribery and breach of trust under the Act of Aggravated Punishment for Specific Economic Crimes. If Yoo is indicted, it will be the first instance of indicting someone involved in the Daejang-dong land development scandal since the investigation team's launch in late September.