'Arrest Warrant Executed for "Daejang-dong Keyman" Yoo Dong-gyu... Under Prosecutors' Investigation (Comprehensive Report 2)'

Reporters are bustling on June 1 at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, where prosecutors arrested Yoo Dong-gyu, former Planning Director of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation and a key figure in the 'Daejang-dong Development Project Favoritism' suspicion, in the emergency room. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The prosecution arrested and is currently investigating Yoo Dong-gyu, the former Planning Director of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, who led the Daejang-dong development project, on the 1st.

The Daejang-dong Development Suspicion Special Investigation Team (Team Leader Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim Tae-hoon) of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office executed an arrest warrant for former Director Yoo at a hospital that morning. The investigation team, fearing that Yoo might refuse to appear due to health issues, obtained the arrest warrant from the court around 9:26 a.m. and immediately took him into custody. Originally, Yoo was scheduled to appear at the prosecution office at 10 a.m. that day but visited the emergency room early in the morning complaining of acute abdominal pain.

Yoo had also refused to respond to the investigation team's summons the previous day, citing the appointment of a lawyer. Later, Yoo announced through the media that he would appear that day. However, on the day of the investigation, he delayed his appearance by an hour, citing treatment and tests at the emergency room. The investigation team visited the hospital, assessed his condition, and determined that he was not in a critical state preventing investigation, subsequently transferring him to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.

The investigation team is reportedly focusing on questioning Yoo about whether the development profits of private businesses flowed to public officials. The audio recordings submitted by accountant Jung Young-hak reportedly contain evidence of large bribes being delivered to political and legal circles. In addition, the investigation team is expected to conduct a comprehensive investigation into Yoo regarding the suspicions surrounding the Daejang-dong development project.

One of the key figures in the Daejang-dong scandal, Yoo Dong-gyu, former Planning Director of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Former Director Yoo is a figure involved in the Daejang-dong development project and is suspected of designing the shareholder structure of 'Seongnam E Tteul,' the project implementer, and the profit distribution method to give preferential treatment to Hwacheon Daeyu. Although Yoo denies all such allegations, there are talks within and outside the prosecution that, considering the allegations raised so far, the possibility of requesting an arrest warrant cannot be ruled out. Previously, on the 29th of last month, Yoo attempted to destroy evidence by throwing his mobile phone out of a window during a prosecution search. The risk of evidence destruction is one of the key conditions for issuing an arrest warrant.

Following the investigation of Lee, the head of Development Division 2 at Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, the day before, the investigation team planned to summon Kim, the head of Development Division 1, on this day. However, Kim reportedly requested to postpone the investigation schedule to early next week. Kim was responsible for the practical work of the Daejang-dong development project until early this year and participated as an evaluation committee member when the Hana Bank consortium, which included Hwacheon Daeyu, was selected as the preferred negotiator. He also served as an outside director representing Seongnam Urban Development Corporation in the project implementer 'Seongnam E Tteul.'

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