[2021 National Audit] Park Beom-gye "Swift Investigation of 'Daejang-dong'... Unable to Find Yoo Dong-gyu's Mobile Phone" (Comprehensive)

Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye attended the National Assembly's inspection of the Ministry of Justice held by the Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 5th and responded to questions from lawmakers. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Park Beom-gye, Minister of Justice, revealed that the mobile phone used by Yoo Dong-gyu, former Planning Director of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, who is implicated in the 'Daejang-dong development preferential treatment' suspicion, has not yet been secured.

On the afternoon of the 5th, Minister Park appeared at the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee’s audit and, when asked about securing Yoo’s mobile phone, said, "I do not receive reports on everything," and added, "It appears that it has not been secured so far." According to the prosecution, Yoo reportedly entrusted the phone to a seller but has not disclosed who the seller is.

Minister Park stated regarding the suspicion that Kim Man-bae, the major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management (Hwacheon Daeyu), the developer of the Daejang-dong project, delivered a large sum of money to Lee, the representative of a sales agency who is related by marriage to former special prosecutor Park Young-soo, "I believe it should be investigated." It is known that Kim handed over 10 billion KRW out of the 47.3 billion KRW loan he borrowed from Hwacheon Daeyu to Lee. He also mentioned, "The suspicion that Lee was in charge of the civil engineering work for the Daejang-dong development is definitely a key point that must be thoroughly clarified."

On the same day, Minister Park said regarding the lobbying and preferential treatment suspicions related to the Daejang-dong development, "The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office formed a dedicated team, and within four days, arrested Yoo Dong-gyu, the former acting president of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, conducting a swift investigation," adding, "I believe the Central District Prosecutors’ Office and the police investigating the case will reach the truth without any sanctuary."

Regarding the opposition party’s demand for the appointment of a special prosecutor for the Daejang-dong suspicion, Minister Park responded, "It is a matter for the National Assembly to decide, but that does not mean the investigation can be stopped," and argued that it could actually take considerable time before the investigation begins.

On the issue of the 5 billion KRW retirement payment received by the son of former lawmaker Kwak Sang-do from Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management, the Daejang-dong developer, he said, "I consider it serious and grave," but added, "I cannot provide detailed information on whether there was any damage or on the command."

In response to criticism that the investigation into the Daejang-dong suspicion is proceeding more slowly compared to the investigation into former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl’s 'accusation inducement' suspicion, he added, "I do not think it is appropriate to make a simple flat comparison."

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