Yoo Dong-gyu Trial and Kim Man-bae Detention Expiry... Daejang-dong Investigation Team Faces Urgent Deadlines

Daejangdong Special Investigation Team Faces COVID-19 Variable... Negative-Test Returnee and Investigator Speed Up Related Investigation

[Asia Economy Reporter Bae Kyunghwan] The prosecution investigating the preferential treatment and lobbying allegations in the Daejang-dong development is accelerating the summons and interrogation of key suspects. Although the investigation faced setbacks due to multiple COVID-19 cases within the investigation team, the expiration of the detention periods for Kim Man-bae and lawyer Nam Wook, following the trial of former Seongnam Urban Development Corporation Planning Director Yoo Dong-gyu, is scheduled for this week, forcing the team to concentrate their investigative efforts.

According to the legal community on the 8th, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's special investigation team for the Daejang-dong allegations (led by Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim Tae-hoon) is expected to resume questioning Kim and lawyer Nam as early as today. The investigation team had planned to start questioning them from the 5th, but due to a large number of COVID-19 cases within the team, they lost nearly three days without conducting suspect interrogations, even over the weekend.

The investigation team plans to summon Kim and lawyer Nam starting today, coordinating with prosecutors and investigators returning after testing negative, to focus on whether there were higher-ups on the Seongnam city side involved in the breach of trust. Currently, Kim and lawyer Nam are suspected, along with former Director Yoo and accountant Jung Young-hak, of causing a profit of 65.1 billion KRW to Hwacheon Daeyu while causing losses to the Seongnam Urban Development Corporation.

According to the current Criminal Procedure Act, the detention period for Kim and lawyer Nam expires on the 12th. However, since the detention period can be extended within a ten-day range, the prosecution is expected to focus its investigative efforts on strengthening the breach of trust charges against them starting this week.

Former Director Yoo's first trial is also scheduled for the 10th. Yoo currently denies the related charges, so the investigation team must devote considerable effort to preparing for the trial. At the first hearing, the defendant's position on the charges will be confirmed, and plans for evidence examination in future trials will be discussed.

Earlier, on the 21st of last month, the investigation team arrested and indicted former Director Yoo solely on bribery charges. The allegations include receiving 350 million KRW from the Daejang-dong development company and agreeing to receive 70 billion KRW in exchange for favors to Hwacheon Daeyu. Subsequently, the investigation team added breach of trust charges, alleging that Yoo conspired with Kim and others to benefit Hwacheon Daeyu while causing losses to the Seongnam Urban Development Corporation. The court decided to jointly hear the bribery and breach of trust cases, as they are related.

Lawyer Jung Min-yong (former head of the investment business team at Seongnam Urban Development Corporation), whose arrest warrant was previously requested but dismissed, is also expected to be re-summoned for questioning. Jung is known to have been directly involved in drafting the conspiracy guidelines related to the Daejang-dong development and is considered a key figure to verify whether higher-ups in Seongnam city were involved. Considering the urgency of clarifying allegations surrounding Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate and then-mayor of Seongnam city at the time, the investigation team is reportedly reviewing whether to re-request an arrest warrant for Jung through additional investigations.

Furthermore, the investigation is expected to accelerate efforts to uncover lobbying involving the Seongnam City Council and bribery allegations against Assemblyman Kwak Sang-do. Since the suspicion regarding the 5 billion KRW retirement allowance of Assemblyman Kwak's son was not included in Kim's arrest warrant, prompt supplementary investigations are necessary as part of clarifying the substance of Kim's lobbying allegations against Seongnam city and the city council.

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