Police Conduct Surprise Search of Sejong City Hall Over Allegations of Speculation by Public Officials in National Industrial Complex (Comprehensive)

Sejong City Hall building exterior.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The police launched a surprise raid on Sejong City Hall on the 19th to investigate allegations of real estate speculation in the Sejong Special Self-Governing City area.

The Sejong Police Agency's Metropolitan Investigation Unit and the Chungnam Police Agency's Real Estate Speculation Crime Task Force deployed more than 40 investigators to conduct searches at 12 locations, including the Land Information Division of Sejong City Hall, in connection with allegations of real estate speculation by Sejong city officials.

The police plan to secure evidence related to the allegations through the raid.

Earlier, the police formally launched an investigation by filing charges against three officials, including Sejong City Secretary A, for violating the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Act in connection with speculation allegations involving the Sejong Smart National Industrial Complex, as well as four civilians. The police are focusing on whether they used insider information during the real estate acquisition process.

The Sejong Smart National Industrial Complex, designated as a candidate site for a national industrial complex in August 2018, is planned to be developed over 2.7 million square meters in the Wachon and Budong-ri areas of Yeonseo-myeon, Sejong City. However, even before the designation, suspicious speculative activities such as planting trees or installing prefabricated buildings to seek compensation were repeatedly observed.

In the case of Chungnam Police, it is reported that during their internal investigation, they uncovered clues of speculation by other officials that had not been previously known and proceeded with a forced investigation on this day.

A police official stated, "We plan to promptly and strictly investigate in accordance with the law and principles by securing evidence related to the allegations through the raid."

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