COURT TO NOT RETURN CONFISCATED PROPERTY

[Anchor Lead]

A court has made a decision not to return the confiscated land and building of a Pocheon government worker. The said public employee is accused of speculating in properties near a prospective subway station using classified information he had obtained on the job. The government’s interagency investigative team is also looking into some 390 other suspects, including three National Assembly representatives and 19 local council members.

[Pkg]

Last September, this site was purchased by Mr. A, a mid-level employee of the Pocheon city government, together with his wife, also a government worker. They bought 2,600 square meters of land and a building near a prospective train station for four billion won. They borrowed most of the money used for the purchase. The Uijeongbu District Court ruled that the land and building should remain confiscated. The court concluded that whether Mr. A used classified information obtained while on the job to purchase the real estate should be debated on trial. Mr. A had been in charge of railroad projects in Pocheon for a year since 2018. Consequently, Mr. A and his wife cannot sell the properties until the court makes its final ruling. Mr. A countered that it was a well-known fact that a subway station would be built in the area. But the police requested an arrest warrant because they believed Mr. A had obtained classified information while on the job, given that the building plan wasn’t made public through a hearing or a briefing.

[Soundbite] Choi Seung-ryeol(Chief, Gov’t Joint Special Investigation HQs) : "The National Office of Investigation will continue to detain and rigorously investigate government employees accused of using inside information for real estate speculations."

The police are stepping up their investigations on 15 former and current LH employees associated with the phase 3 new city development plan in Gwangmyeong and Siheung. Investigators conducted additional search and seizure operations on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation as well as the LH headquarters.

[Soundbite] LH Employee(Voice Modified) : "(Are you denying all the charges?) I will answer questions with sincerity."

As of now, the special investigation team is looking into 398 suspects. Among them are some 80 government officials, including three National Assembly representatives, 19 local council members, two former and incumbent high-ranking officials, and roughly 30 LH employees. More people could be investigated as the police are analyzing about 60 different tips.