Ministry of National Defense Investigation Finds Only One Person Involved in Real Estate Speculation Allegations

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The Ministry of National Defense announced on the 3rd that as a result of the investigation into real estate speculation allegations conducted since the end of March, one person was indicted, and 21 were found to have no charges.

The indicted individual, Mr. A, is a civilian employee belonging to the Facilities Headquarters who was accused of using confidential work information for real estate speculation and was indicted without detention at the end of June on charges of violating the Anti-Corruption Act.

After the indictment, Mr. A retired upon reaching the retirement age, and the trial will proceed in a civilian court. In 2016, he purchased approximately 1,200 pyeong of land opposite the now-disbanded 30th Division in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, under his family's name; the division was disbanded in 2014.

The Gyeonggi Northern Facilities Unit under the Defense Facilities Headquarters, where he worked, oversees the relocation of the military site and related construction work, raising suspicions that he may have acquired the land with prior knowledge of related information.

The Ministry of National Defense's Special Investigation Team on Real Estate Speculation Allegations has been investigating 22 active-duty soldiers and civilian employees, including Mr. A and 21 others who were referred for detailed investigation by the Ministry's Audit Office. In March, when allegations against Mr. A surfaced, the Ministry conducted a full investigation of over 3,700 soldiers and civilian employees who had worked in the facilities department, and requested detailed investigations on 21 individuals whose apartment transaction records were confirmed during the investigation period.

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