PROSECUTION INDICTS PAIK UN-GYU

[Anchor Lead]

The prosecution indicted former energy minister Baek Woon-gyu and two others for fabricating the economic feasibility assessment for a reactor at the Wolseong nuclear power plant after an eight-month-long investigation. Chung Jae-hoon, the CEO of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, was charged with dereliction of duty.

[Pkg]

For 8 months, the Daejeon District Prosecutors’ Office has been investigating the alleged fabrication of an economic feasibility assessment for a reactor at the Wolseong nuclear power plant. The investigation ended with the indictment of former Minister of Industry, Trade and Energy Paik Un-gyu, former presidential secretary for industrial policy Chae Hee-bong and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power CEO Chung Jae-hoon. The Daejeon District Prosecutors’ Office charged them with abusing their authority to interfere with the execution of rights and obstruct business. Former presidential secretary Chae Hee-bong is accused of forcing Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power to stop the operation of nuclear reactor No. 1 at the Wolseong plant and shut it down early. The prosecution believes Chae suggested that the nuclear reactor is expected to incur a massive loss and has no grounds to stay in operation. No. 1 nuclear reactor at the Wolseong plant was guaranteed operation until its lifespan expired. Former energy minister Paik Un-gyu is charged with conspiring with Chae to illegally interfere with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power’s assessment of the nuclear reactor. The prosecution indicted KHNP CEO Chung Jae-hoon for breach of trust and obstruction of work under the Specific Economic Crimes Act. Chung is believed to have followed ex-Minister Paik’s order and manipulated the assessment result to lie as if the nuclear reactor was not economically profitable although it wasn’t clear that the government would preserve the nuclear power plant’s loss from closing the nuclear reactor early. Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo decided to convene an investigation review committee meeting to discuss the former energy minister’s aiding and abetting charge. An official at the presidential office said it isn’t appropriate for him to talk about an ongoing case.