Prosecutors Investigate Allegations of 5 Billion KRW Severance Pay to Gwak Sang-do's Son as Payment for Resolving Cultural Heritage Issue

During the Search and Seizure, Assemblyman Gwak Identified as 'Suspect'
Suspicion of External Pressure by Assemblyman Gwak on the Cultural Heritage Administration

Son Mr. Gwak Possibly Presented Cultural Heritage-Related Work as a Pretext for Severance Pay Documents

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Minji Lee] The prosecution, investigating the preferential treatment and lobbying allegations in the Daejang-dong development case, is accelerating its investigation into Kwak Byung-chae, the son of independent lawmaker Kwak Sang-do, regarding the 5 billion won severance pay he received from Hwacheon Daeyu. It is reported that the prosecution is also looking into suspicions that the severance pay is related to resolving cultural heritage issues during the Daejang-dong development process.

According to the legal community on the 4th, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's dedicated investigation team conducted a sudden search of Kwak's residence on the 1st, and the warrant presented listed lawmaker Kwak as a suspect in bribery charges, while his son Byung-chae was designated as a witness.

Initially, when the ruling party filed a complaint against lawmaker Kwak, they raised suspicions that he, who served as the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs at the Blue House during the Park Geun-hye administration, prevented the Daejang-dong development project from being conducted as a public development, and years later, through his son, received 5 billion won as a payoff.

Later, when cultural heritage was discovered at the Daejang-dong project site, suspicions arose that lawmaker Kwak exerted undue pressure on the Cultural Heritage Administration to prevent delays in the project. Previously, Kwak's son explained the circumstances under which he received the 5 billion won severance pay, mentioning as his achievement that "when cultural heritage was discovered within the project site, causing expected construction delays, the discovered and undiscovered sections were separated into different project sections to eliminate reasons for construction delays." At the time the Cultural Heritage Administration approved the Daejang-dong project in 2017, lawmaker Kwak was a member of the National Assembly's Education, Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, which oversees the Cultural Heritage Administration.

However, since the Cultural Heritage Administration has stated that no significant cultural heritage was discovered at the Daejang-dong project site, it is possible that Kwak Byung-chae cited cultural heritage-related work as a formal reason in documents to justify receiving the 5 billion won severance pay.

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