[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The Special Investigation Unit for Real Estate Speculation Crimes at the Northern Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency has referred 167 individuals to the prosecution on charges related to real estate speculation.

On the 2nd, the Special Investigation Unit referred 167 people to the prosecution on a total of 14 charges related to real estate speculation, including one case under the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Act, one case under the Real Name Real Estate Act, 10 cases under the Farmland Act, one case under the Subsidy Management Act, and one case involving bribery and the Korea Land and Housing Corporation Act. In connection with this, real estate worth over 8 billion KRW was also seized and preserved.

Among the 167 individuals referred, 8 were public officials (one detained), one was a former employee of the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH), and 158 were civilians. Of these, 125 are suspected of speculation through parceling in areas designated for the 3rd phase new towns, such as the Goyang Changneung district and Namyangju Wangsuk district. They are accused of acquiring farmland by falsely obtaining farmland acquisition qualification certificates for the purpose of real estate speculation and subsequently selling it in divided shares as co-owned land.

Among them, a senior public official A from Pocheon City is currently on trial for speculation charges after borrowing about 4 billion KRW to purchase land and buildings near the planned subway station on the extension line of Line 7. This is the first detention case by the government joint special investigation headquarters.

The Special Investigation Unit is currently investigating or conducting preliminary investigations on 57 people in 24 cases beyond those referred to the prosecution. Among them are three local council members, but specific charges have not yet been disclosed.

A representative of the Special Investigation Unit stated, "We have referred 167 people after about three months of intensive investigation," adding, "We will continue to conduct strict investigations into real estate speculation crimes without exception." The Special Investigation Unit, elevated from the previous special investigation team, was launched on March 11 with 45 personnel led by Special Investigation Chief Kwak Soon-gi (Senior Superintendent).

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