Prosecutors Conduct Additional Search at Seongnam City Hall... Focus on Materials Related to 'Pressure on Hwang Museong to Resign'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The prosecution, investigating lobbying and preferential treatment allegations related to the Daejang-dong development, has conducted an additional raid on Seongnam City Hall. This raid is reportedly focused on finding materials related to the controversy over the 'resignation pressure' on Hwang Mu-seong, former president of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation.

According to the legal community on the 3rd, the dedicated investigation team of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (led by Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim Tae-hoon) has been raiding the Audit Office, Budget and Finance Department staff emails, and the Information and Communication Department at Seongnam City Hall since the 29th of last month until this day.

The prosecution is searching for audit materials related to suspicions that Hwang, the first president of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, was pressured by 'higher-ups' to resign during the early stages of the Daejang-dong development project. They are investigating whether Seongnam City ordered a 'targeted audit' on Hwang, and whether there was any involvement from the Mayor's Office or the Audit Office. It is reported that the number of investigators has been significantly increased internally to investigate these allegations.

According to a recording released by former President Hwang, Yuhan-gi, former head of the Development Project Headquarters at Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, repeatedly mentioned 'Mayor' and 'Director Jeong' on February 6, 2015, urging Hwang to resign.

This has led to suspicions that then-Mayor Lee Jae-myung and his closest aide, former Policy Chief Jeong Jin-sang, were behind the scenes, using Yuhan-gi to force Hwang to step down.

The prosecution has previously visited Seongnam City Hall multiple times, including on the 15th of last month. On the 21st, they secured materials related to the Daejang-dong development from the Mayor's Office and the Secretary's Office, and have since sent investigators several times to the Information and Communication Department to obtain electronic approval documents and emails.

On the 25th, they also secured emails from former Mayor Lee Jae-myung, current Mayor Eun Soo-mi, former Policy Chief Jeong Jin-sang, and the Secretary-General.

However, due to Seongnam City's email record retention period being three years, it is known to be difficult to obtain materials related to the Daejang-dong allegations from around 2015.

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