Police Conduct Additional Search of Water Resources Corporation over Hwang Hee's 'Donation Suspicion'

Second Since Last May

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Gyumin] The police conducted an additional search and seizure of the Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) over allegations that Hwang Hee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea (former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism), received quid pro quo sponsorship from K-water.

The Anti-Corruption and Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced on the morning of the 13th that it had searched the headquarters of K-water located in Daejeon. This is two months after the first search and seizure in May.

Assemblyman Hwang is suspected of proposing bills favorable to K-water and receiving political donations.

According to Kim Yeji, a member of the People Power Party, in February last year, when Assemblyman Hwang was a member of the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee in 2018, he proposed a bill allowing K-water to build buildings and operate rental businesses in the Busan Smart City, an innovation industry promotion complex.

After the bill passed, it is known that from 2019, Assemblyman Hwang received political donations totaling 10 million won over two years from a senior executive directly under the president of K-water.

In response, the Civic Group for Judicial Exam Preparation filed a complaint with the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in the same month against Assemblyman Hwang and two others, including a director at K-water, on charges including violation of the Political Funds Act. The complaint was transferred from the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office to the Anti-Corruption and Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

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