One More Member of Daejangdong Investigation Team Tests Positive... Team Leader Kim Taehoon Self-Isolates for Three Days

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] One more person in the prosecution investigation team probing the preferential treatment and lobbying allegations related to the Daejang-dong development has tested positive for COVID-19.

According to the legal community on the 9th, one prosecutor from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's dedicated investigation team (led by Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim Tae-hoon) who had previously tested negative in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was confirmed positive upon retesting.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases within the investigation team to seven. Earlier, between the 5th and 6th, three prosecutors including Deputy Chief Prosecutor Yoo Kyung-pil of the Economic Crime Division, who played a supervisory role in the investigation, and three investigators tested positive.

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim Tae-hoon, the head of the investigation team, has completed his COVID-19 vaccination and initially tested negative in the PCR test. However, considering the incubation period, he took a three-day leave starting from the 8th and has been self-isolating at home.

However, Kim was not classified as a close contact and thus was not notified by health authorities to undergo a two-week self-quarantine.

Scheduled to return on the 11th, he has been maintaining frequent communication with the investigation team via phone and other means.

Team members who tested negative are gradually returning to work. According to the prosecution, most team members are expected to return by next week. If necessary, additional personnel reinforcements will be considered.

The prosecution resumed the investigation yesterday by summoning for the first time since their detention Kim Man-bae, the major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu, a key figure in the allegations, and lawyer Nam Wook, owner of Cheonhwa Dongin No. 4. The investigation must accelerate before their maximum detention period expires on the 22nd of this month.

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