PROSECUTION INVESTIGATES LEE'S SCANDAL

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The prosecution started investigating a real estate development scandal allegedly involving Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung. The prosecution had the Department of National Security, Election and Labor look into an opposition party lawmaker who first raised this issue, which is more than likely to lead to a probe into the alleged scandal itself. Even Justice Minister Park Beom-gye said the suspicion must be promptly cleared.

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Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung orchestrated a development project in the Daejang-dong area of Seongnam City while he was Seongnam mayor. The prosecution has started looking into the so-called Daejang-dong scandal, which purports that private developer Hwacheon Daeyu received special treatment and made more than a thousand-fold profit. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office allocated the case of People Power Party Floor Leader Kim Gi-hyeon to the Department of National Security, Election and Labor. Kim was charged with spreading false information in violation of the Public Official Election Act for raising questions on the alleged scandal. On September 19th, the Lee Jae-myung campaign headquarters reported Kim to authorities for repeatedly proclaiming false information regarding the Daejang-dong development project to prevent Lee from winning the election. In order to determine the validity of charges against Kim, the prosecution must first find out if the alleged scandal is true. This is why the prosecution is expected to carry out an investigation focusing on issues linked to the development project. Even Justice Minister Park Beom-Kye said that this is a case that must be explained quickly in accordance with law and principle. Former Supreme Court Justice Kwon Soon-il who served as advisor to Hwacheon Daeyu was also reported to the prosecution. A legal activist group called Lawyers for Human Rights and Unification of Korea claimed in its complaint to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office that Kwon received bribes and violated the Attorney-at-Law Act. While serving as a Supreme Court justice last year, Kwon returned the case of Lee violating the Public Official Election Act back to the lower court and found him not guilty. The lawyer group claimed that Kwon had received a hefty advising fee from Hwacheon Daeyu after retiring, which hinted at the connection between the trial and payment. Officials representing Hwacheon Daeyu explained in a recent interview that the company retained Kwon as an advisor to resolve a transmission tower problem.