'No Guilty Verdict for Jeong Jong-je, Former Gwangju Deputy Mayor, and 2 Others in Private Park Project Favoritism Allegations'

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Jin-hyung] Three individuals, including Jeong Jong-je, former Deputy Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, who were indicted on allegations of preferential treatment in the Gwangju Metropolitan City private park (Jungang Park) special project, were acquitted.

The Gwangju District Court Criminal Division 4 (Presiding Judge Park Sang-hyun) on the 16th acquitted Jeong Jong-je, former Deputy Mayor of Gwangju, Yoon Young-ryeol, former Chairman of the Audit Committee, and city official Yang Mo, who were charged with abuse of authority and obstruction of rights.

The court stated the reason for acquittal, saying, "Considering the regulations on local public enterprises and the project methods, a significant part is reasonable, and there is no basis to believe that any wrongful acts occurred."

However, the court recognized partial guilt for Lee Jeong-sam, former Director of the Ecological Environment Bureau, and sentenced him to a fine of 5 million won.

The court judged on December 20, 2018, that Director Lee had fabricated false official documents.

The Gwangju private park special project is a project where a construction company purchases land that has been designated as a park for a long time, develops more than 70% of it into a park and donates it to the city, and builds apartments on the remaining land.

The Gwangju Audit Committee announced in December 2018 that there were inappropriate facts such as incorrect evaluation scores or leakage of evaluation results during the selection process of the preferred negotiator for the second phase of the private park special project.

Subsequently, the preferred negotiators for both Jungang Park District 1 and District 2 were changed.

The prosecution indicted former Deputy Mayor Jeong, former Audit Committee Chairman Yoon, former Director Lee, and Yang, among others, on the grounds that they improperly intervened in this process.

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