POLICE CONTINUE RAIDS

[Anchor Lead]

Police are raiding the offices of public officials involved in land speculation. The case on the dismissed presidential aide Kim Sang-jo has been transferred to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

[Pkg]

Police investigating the LH Corporation's land speculation scandal dispatched 24 officers to Gunpo City Hall on Wednesday to raid its offices.

[Soundbite] "(What have you found?) Please ask the special investigation unit."

Gunpo City requested an investigation of a high-ranking official on March 19 in relation to land speculation. The official in question purchased land worth 1.5 billion won in 2016 along with four acquaintances. In 2018, the official allegedly reaped impressive profits from the deal after the land was included in an urban development project. Police in Chungcheongnam-do Province raided the residence and office of Asan City Council Speaker Hwang Jae-man to obtain evidence. Hwang is facing accusations of providing confidential information on urban development in Asan to help some people purchase real estate. Police also launched a probe into three public officials who are allegedly involved in the semiconductor cluster project in Yongin, and have raided Yongin City Hall. Yongin City requested an investigation into land speculation on March 18, after conducting an internal probe. The case of former presidential aide Kim Sang-jo in relation to using confidential information and violating the Anti-Corruption Act has been transferred to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. Kim was dismissed after triggering controversy for raising the rental deposit for his apartment by 14 percent just days before the new real estate law took effect. The new law limits the raise on housing deposits to 5 percent.