Prosecutors Conclude Investigation into Gwangju Private Park Favoritism... Five Officials Indicted

Yoon Dae-young, Public Relations Officer (Chief Prosecutor) of Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office, is announcing the investigation results of the Gwangju Private Park Special Project.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] The Gwangju Economic Justice Practice Citizens' Coalition has completed the prosecution's investigation nine months after submitting a complaint regarding allegations of corruption in private parks in Gwangju Metropolitan City.

The Anti-Corruption Investigation Division of the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Choi Im-yeol) announced on the 8th during a briefing on the investigation results of the "Gwangju Private Park Special Project" case that former Gwangju City Environment and Ecology Bureau Director A was indicted in custody, while Jeong Jong-je, Deputy Mayor of Gwangju City, Yoon Young-ryeol, Chairman of the City Audit Committee, former City Hall Park and Greenery Division Officer B, and C, the younger brother of Gwangju Metropolitan City Mayor Lee Yong-seop, were indicted without detention.

Former Environment and Ecology Bureau Director A is accused of improperly interfering in the final ranking selection along with his superior Deputy Mayor Jeong and others by sending a photo of the "Proposal Evaluation Result Report" to a Gwangju City Council member on November 8, 2018, during the selection process of the preferred negotiators for Phase 2, Districts 1 and 2 of the Private Park Special Project (charges include official secrets leakage).

Deputy Mayor Jeong Jong-je and City Audit Committee Chairman Yoon Young-ryeol are charged with abuse of authority and obstruction of business for improperly directing work and interfering with the duties of the proposal review committee members during the process where the order of preferred negotiators was reversed.

Former City Hall Park and Greenery Division Officer B is accused of leaking official secrets by copying the proposal evaluation result report on November 8, 2018, and delivering it to the aide of the Gwangju City Council chairman.

C, the younger brother of Gwangju Metropolitan City Mayor Lee Yong-seop, is charged with accepting a bribe under the Special Act by receiving an opportunity to supply rebar worth approximately 13.3 billion KRW (17,112 tons) from Kim Sang-yeol, Chairman of Hoban Group, who intended to participate in the Private Park Special Project, under the pretext of facilitating favors with the mayor in relation to Gwangju City.

The prosecution explained that Gwangju City officials abused the specific audit by the Audit Committee and omitted agenda items that should have been submitted to the proposal review committee to change the preferred negotiator for Central District 2. They also confirmed crimes such as abuse of authority by pressuring the Urban Corporation, the preferred negotiator for Central District 1, to relinquish its status and the creation of false official documents during the abuse of authority process.

Meanwhile, the Gwangju City spokesperson immediately issued a statement on the day, saying, "Gwangju City sincerely apologizes for causing concern to the citizens above all else," and added, "Our position remains unchanged that this incident was an active and principled administration correcting errors in the evaluation process of selecting the preferred negotiators for the Private Park Special Project. We expect the judiciary to make a wise judgment."

He continued, "Despite the prosecution conducting a rigorous investigation over the past nine months, including dozens of summons and searches, it is fortunate that no public officials were found to have accepted bribes or colluded with companies," and emphasized, "We will use this incident as an opportunity to operate the city administration more fairly and transparently to become an administration trusted by the citizens."

He also stated, "The prosecution's indictment without detention of the mayor's younger brother on charges of accepting bribes is an issue completely unrelated to our city's Private Park Special Project, and we expect the court to uncover the truth as well," and concluded, "We will continue to push forward with the Private Park Special Project without disruption, unwavering in the investigation results, to return pleasant parks to the citizens."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.