LEE JAE-MYUNG’S EX. CHIEF OF STAFF SUMMONED

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Now breaking news on the Daejang-dong land development scandal surrounding the ruling party’s presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung. Prosecutors have for the first time summoned the person who was Lee’s chief of staff when he was serving as Seongnam mayor. For the main opposition party’s presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl, prosecutors are also looking into allegations that when he was a senior prosecutor, his team ignored suspicions regarding the Daejang-dong project, which were raised while it was investigating a corruption case involving Busan Savings Bank.

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A prosecution team looking into the Daejang-dong land development scandal summoned and questioned Lim Seung-min, former chief of staff for Seongnam mayor, as a witness. Lim worked for Lee Jae-myung for over two years from July 2014, when the ruling party presidential candidate was Seongnam mayor. During the period, the consortium “Seonganmui-ddeul,” which included Hawcheondaeyu, was selected as the developer of Daejang-dong. It also signed a shareholder’s agreement with Seongnam Development Corporation. While questioning Lim, prosecutors mainly asked about the Seongnam city government’s decision-making process on the Daejang-dong project during his time in service. This suggests prosecutors are moving to investigate higher-ranking officials suspected of involvement in the land development scandal, following the indictment of four key figures, including Kim Man-bae, a major shareholder of Hawcheondaeyu. Previously, suspicions were raised that lawyer Cheong Min-yong drew up guidelines for the Daejang-dong project and directly reported it to Lee Jae-myung. On the other hand, prosecutors are also looking into accusations that Yoon Seok-youl might be responsible for a prosecutorial team’s incomplete probe into a corruption case involving Busan Savings Bank. In relation, they summoned and questioned a loan broker surnamed Cho. Cho is known to have helped property developer Sea Seven take loans worth 110 billion won from the savings bank when pushing to develop Daejang-dong before Hwacheondaeyu. But Cho was not punished, despite the investigation into Busan Savings Bank. Prosecutors also summoned and questioned former President of Sea Seven, Lee Kang-gil, twice.