'End of the Presidential Election'... Police Expected to Accelerate Investigation into Daejang-dong City Council Lobbying and Seongnam FC Allegations

Investigation into Daejang-dong City Council Lobbying and Seongnam FC Sponsorship Fund Allegations
Yoon Elected President Likely to Face Difficulty as a Suspect in Investigation

On the 14th, in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, representatives of civic groups such as the End of Housing Worries Presidential Election Housing Rights Network and the End of Inequality 2022 Presidential Election Voter Network held a press conference urging the passage of the Daejang-dong Prevention Act. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Sehee] As the 20th presidential election comes to a close, the police are expected to accelerate investigations related to the presidential candidates from both ruling and opposition parties.

According to the police on the 13th, they are currently handling numerous cases related to presidential candidates, in addition to the Daejang-dong development preferential treatment and lobbying allegations.

First, the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency is investigating lobbying allegations involving the Seongnam City Council by developers in connection with the Daejang-dong suspicions.

Investigations have also been conducted by the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency into allegations involving Kim Hye-kyung, wife of former Gyeonggi Governor and Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, including the hiring of her personal secretary and misuse of corporate cards, as well as illegal gambling and prostitution allegations involving their eldest son Dong-ho.

Prior to the election, the police adjusted summons schedules for key individuals to minimize unnecessary misunderstandings. Now that the election is over, it is anticipated that police investigations will progress more rapidly.

Regarding the Seongnam City Council lobbying allegations, after detaining and transferring former Seongnam City Council Chairman Choi Yoon-gil in January, the police are expected to focus on promptly concluding investigations into the remaining council members. Additionally, a conclusion is expected on whether preferential apartment allocations in Daejang-dong occurred.

Among the cases involving former Governor Lee, there is also an investigation into suspicions concerning sponsorship funds for Seongnam FC.

While serving as mayor of Seongnam, Lee was the club owner of Seongnam FC and allegedly secured about 16 billion KRW in sponsorship funds from large corporations, which in return received conveniences such as building permits and land use changes.

Although the Bundang Police Station initially decided not to prosecute after investigating this case, the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office Seongnam Branch requested supplementary investigations following objections from the accuser, leading the police to resume their inquiry.

The police, having already made a non-prosecution decision once, are expected to only supplement some investigative details without significantly changing the conclusion. However, there remains a possibility that the Seongnam Branch Prosecutors' Office may take over the case and initiate direct investigations.

Aside from the Daejang-dong and Seongnam FC-related allegations, it is generally anticipated within and outside the police that other accusations will be naturally resolved through withdrawal of complaints and similar means.

Among the cases under police investigation is one related to President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol, specifically the preferential treatment allegations concerning the development of the Gongheung District in Yangpyeong, involving Yoon’s mother-in-law.

Additionally, the police are handling cases such as the defamation lawsuit filed by whistleblower Cho Seong-eun, who reported the alleged complaint manipulation scandal under investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, against President-elect Yoon and People Power Party lawmaker Kim Woong.

Meanwhile, within the police, there is a prevailing view that the likelihood of President-elect Yoon being directly named as a suspect in ongoing investigations is virtually slim.

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