'Daechang-dong Scandal' Key Figure Yoo Dong-gyu Arrested... Court Cites "Risk of Evidence Tampering and Flight"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Yoo Dong-gyu, former Planning Director of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation and one of the key figures in the Daejang-dong development lobbying and preferential treatment allegations case, was arrested on the 3rd.

Judge Lee Dong-hee of the Seoul Central District Court, who was on duty that day, issued an arrest warrant requested by the prosecution against Yoo, who is accused of breach of trust under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes (Special Act on Economic Crimes) and bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (Special Act on Crimes).

The judge stated the reason for issuing the warrant as "concern over evidence destruction and flight risk."

The day before, the dedicated investigation team of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office applied charges of breach of trust under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes and bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes against Yoo and requested an arrest warrant.

Yoo is considered a key figure who, since Lee Jae-myung was elected mayor of Seongnam in 2010, designed the Daejang-dong development project as a public-private joint development and led the selection of Hwacheon Daeyu as the private business operator. In particular, he is suspected of giving preferential treatment to Hwacheon Daeyu by designing the shareholder structure of 'Seongnam's Garden,' which was responsible for implementing the Daejang-dong development project, and the method of distributing profits. The prosecution has already completed searches of Yoo's former office and residence. Additionally, the prosecution suspects that Yoo received 1.1 billion won from Hwacheon Daeyu as a reward and shared the profits.

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