Prosecution Issues Arrest Warrants for Kim Man-bae, Nam Wook, and Jung Min-yong... Court to Review Warrants on the 3rd

Kim Man-bae, the major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu (left), and lawyer Nam Wook [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The prosecution, investigating allegations of preferential treatment and lobbying in the Daejang-dong development project, will hold pre-trial detention hearings for the "Daejang-dong Trio," including Hwacheon Daeyu major shareholder Kim Man-bae, at the Seoul Central District Court.

According to the court on the 1st, Seo Bomin, the chief judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Central District Court, will conduct the detention hearing for Kim at 10:30 a.m. on the 3rd. On the same day, Moon Seong-gwan, the chief judge in charge of warrants, will hold detention hearings for lawyer Nam Wook, owner of Hwacheon Daeyu’s subsidiary Cheonhwa Dongin No. 4, and lawyer Jeong Min-yong (former head of strategic business at Seongnam Urban Development Corporation) at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively.

That morning, the dedicated investigation team at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (led by Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim Tae-hoon) filed pre-trial detention warrants for Kim, lawyer Nam, and others, collectively known as the "Daejang-dong Trio," along with former Planning Headquarters Director Yoo.

The prosecution also filed additional charges against former Director Yoo, who was previously indicted and detained on bribery charges under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, now charging him with breach of trust and bribery after improper conduct under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes. Kim, lawyer Nam, and lawyer Jeong were charged as accomplices to former Director Yoo.

Earlier, on the 12th of last month, the prosecution requested an arrest warrant for Kim on charges including bribery and breach of trust and embezzlement under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes, but the court dismissed it. In the case of lawyer Nam, he was arrested and investigated at Incheon Airport upon returning from the United States in the early hours of the 20th of last month but was released without an arrest warrant being requested.

Having failed to secure custody of Kim and lawyer Nam and facing criticism for a "lax investigation," whether the prosecution will succeed in securing their custody this time is expected to be a turning point that will determine the success or failure of this investigation.

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