Kang Deuk-gu: "Yoon's mother-in-law built a house where apartment construction is not allowed... Illegitimate approval"

Democratic Party lawmaker Kang Deuk-gu held a press conference on the 18th at the National Assembly Communication Office urging an investigation into stock manipulation and embezzlement by Kwon Oh-soo, chairman of Deutsche Motors. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] Kang Deuk-gu, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, revealed that the Yangpyeong Gongheung District, where Choi Eun-soon, the mother-in-law of Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party candidate, and her family company ESIND carried out an urban development project in 2012, is an area where apartment construction is not permitted.

The area is designated as Zone 1 of the "Special Water Quality Conservation Area" to protect the Paldang Lake water source, and it is claimed that the approval was obtained through irregular means in a place where apartments cannot be built under the Framework Act on Environmental Policy.

On the 15th, Representative Kang held a press conference explaining that the Special Water Quality Conservation Area is a region designated by the Minister of Environment to protect water sources such as Paldang Lake and Daecheong Lake, based on the Framework Act on Environmental Policy. According to the Ministry of Environment's notice (Designation of Special Water Quality Conservation Areas and Comprehensive Special Measures for Paldang and Daecheong Lake Water Sources), "Accommodation and food service businesses with a total floor area of 400㎡ or more and wastewater discharge facilities with a total floor area of 800㎡ or more are not permitted in Zone I." An 800㎡ facility is roughly the size of a 3-4 story villa. New housing construction is subject to very strict regulations and is almost prohibited.

Although there are exceptions, the office of Representative Kang argues that they do not apply in this case, meaning that the approval was effectively obtained through irregular means. The cases where the area is not subject to location restrictions are: "1. Buildings where all generated wastewater is introduced and treated in a public sewage treatment facility as defined in Article 2, Clause 9 of the Sewerage Act (hereinafter referred to as 'public sewage treatment facility')," or "2. Public welfare facilities for local residents that treat biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and suspended solids (SS) to 20mg/L (10mg/L in waterfront areas) or less before discharge," and "3. Facilities necessary for military purposes with the consent of the Minister of Environment."

However, the area where the apartment complex of Yoon’s in-laws was built was only designated as a public sewage treatment planned area in 2015. At the time of approval by the Yangpyeong County Committee and County Council in December 2011 and the Yangpyeong County Urban Planning Committee in March 2012, it was an area outside the sewage treatment zone, meaning wastewater could not be introduced into public sewage treatment facilities.

Representative Kang stated, "Ordinary citizens find it difficult to build even a single house in the special water source conservation area, yet Yoon Seok-yeol’s in-laws built an apartment complex and gained enormous profits," adding, "Why do impossible things keep happening only around candidate Yoon? The self-urban development of land owned by one person, unjust retroactive extension of permits, exemption from development charges, and successive preferential administrative actions must be thoroughly investigated."

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