Prosecution Reinvestigates Park Young-soo's Relative Over 200 Million Won Source... Accelerates Investigation of Kwak Sang-do's 5 Billion Won Suspicion

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The prosecution is currently verifying circumstances suggesting that 200 million won, believed to have been received by Yuhan-gi, former head of the Development Business Division at Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, from private business operators, originated from a relative of former special prosecutor Park Young-soo.

According to investigative authorities on the 9th, the dedicated investigation team at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (led by Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim Tae-hoon) confirmed this during the process of tracking financial transactions of private business operators involved in the Daejang-dong project and investigating related parties.

Lee, a relative of former special prosecutor Park, was in charge of apartment sales agency for the Daejang-dong development project. At that time, he reportedly received 10 billion won from Kim Man-bae, the major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management, and passed it on to Na, the head of a civil engineering company.

During the investigation of related parties, the prosecution uncovered evidence that Lee had arranged approximately 200 million won in 2014 at the request of private business operators involved in the Daejang-dong project. The prosecution believes this 200 million won was handed over to former head Yuhan-gi to receive assistance in environmental impact assessments and other matters.

The Hangang River Basin Environmental Office conducted the environmental impact assessment for the Daejang-dong project and removed certain areas from the highest-grade conservation zone (Grade 1), which became a subject of controversy during last month's National Assembly audit.

Meanwhile, the prosecution has also begun a full-scale investigation related to lawmaker Kwak Sang-do by summoning a Hana Bank official again on the same day.

The dedicated investigation team at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office summoned Deputy Manager Lee of Hana Bank as a witness. Deputy Manager Lee was responsible for practical work during the formation of the Hana Bank consortium and later served as an outside director at the project implementer 'Seongnam Utddeul.'

The prosecution reportedly summoned Deputy Manager Lee three times in total, including the first summons on the 7th of last month, to question whether Hana Bank was involved in preferential dividends related to the Daejang-dong project.

This summons appears to be part of efforts to strengthen bribery charges against lawmaker Kwak Sang-do. Lawmaker Kwak is suspected of exerting influence on senior Hana Bank officials at the request of Kim Man-bae, major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu, to prevent the collapse of the Hana Bank consortium during the early stages of the Daejang-dong development project. Kwak, Kim, and Chairman Kim all graduated from the same university.

Kwak's son, Kwak Byung-chae, worked at Hwacheon Daeyu and became embroiled in controversy after receiving 5 billion won in severance pay and other payments. The prosecution regards this amount as a bribe.

The prosecution believes that after lawmaker Kwak assisted Hwacheon Daeyu, he demanded 5 billion won upon the project's profitability and received it through his son, leading to the freezing of 10 bank accounts belonging to Kwak Byung-chae.

There are also allegations that Hana Bank received an additional 10 billion won beyond the agreed fees from Seongnam Utddeul.

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