'Gwangju Hakdong Redevelopment Corruption' Arrest Warrants for 2, Including Union Leader, Rejected

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] The arrest warrants for two individuals, including the union leader, accused of breach of trust in relation to the Gwangju Hakdong 4 District redevelopment project, were dismissed.

According to the legal community on the 16th, Park Min-woo, the chief judge in charge of warrants at the Gwangju District Court, dismissed the pre-arrest warrants on the 15th for Jo Mo (75), the union leader of Hakdong 4 District, and Sung Mo (56), the CEO of the maintenance project management company, who are accused of bribery and breach of trust.

Judge Park ruled that it was difficult to consider the risk of flight or evidence destruction, given that the suspects have fixed residences, have cooperated sincerely with investigation agency summons, and that evidence was secured through extensive searches.

Jo is accused of receiving help from Sung to secure pre-sale rights in the redevelopment area while serving as the union leader for the Hakdong 3 and 4 District redevelopment projects, and ordering unnecessary services worth approximately 190 million KRW to a company owned by Sung’s family.

He is also accused of causing damage to the union by receiving two reserved lots (pre-sale units) free of charge as a reward for successfully completing the 3 District project, purchasing pine trees worth 50 million KRW for 500 million KRW, and conducting landscaping work worth about 2 billion KRW.

Sung is accused of helping Jo’s family secure pre-sale rights by illegally converting city-owned abandoned houses into unauthorized buildings.

They appeared at the pre-arrest suspect hearing (warrant substantive examination) held at the Gwangju District Court on the morning of the same day.

When asked by reporters whether they gained unfair profits during the redevelopment project process and if they had anything to say to the union members and victims of the collapse accident, they left the courtroom in silence.

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