'Daejangdong Trial' Yudonggyu's Side: "Lee Jaemyung Decided Everything, How Could Yudonggyu Have Worked Hard?"

Yoo Dong-gyu, former head of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, is attending the continued trial related to lobbying and preferential treatment allegations in the Daejang-dong development project at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 24th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Former Seongnam Urban Development Corporation Planning Director Yoo Dong-gyu’s Defense Attorney: Ultimately, the inclusion of the clause limiting eligibility for participation in the Daejang-dong development project to financial institutions in the public offering guidelines was decided internally within the Seongnam Urban Development Corporation or at the Seongnam City level, and afterwards, the witness, Kim Man-bae, Nam Wook, and others aligned their actions accordingly, wasn’t it?"

Accountant Jung Young-hak: Excluding construction companies was a wish, and it was well reflected.

On the 24th, the defense side of former Director Yoo repeatedly mentioned Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, during the trial of the 'Daejang-dong Development Project Favoritism Case' and shifted responsibility.

On this day, the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 22 (Presiding Judge Lee Jun-cheol) held a continuation trial for five people including former Director Yoo, major shareholder Kim Man-bae of Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management (Hwacheon Daeyu), lawyer Nam Wook, and accountant Jung.

In court, former Director Yoo’s defense attorney asked, "Was the decision to exclude construction companies from the Daejang-dong development project an instruction coming from Seongnam City Hall or the Mayor of Seongnam, a top-down directive?" Accountant Jung replied, "At that time, I did not know, but I learned during the recent trial process," and added, "I understand it was a directive from above."

Previously, a consortium led by Hana Bank, which included Seongnam Urban Development Corporation and Hwacheon Daeyu, established a special purpose company (SPC) called 'Seongnam’s Garden' for the Daejang-dong development, and later, Seongnam’s Garden was selected as the preferred negotiator for the Daejang-dong project. The prosecution believes that seven essential clauses granting preferential treatment to Hwacheon Daeyu, through lobbying by Kim and others, were included in the public offering guidelines for the Daejang-dong project.

Lee Jae-myung, during a national audit in October last year when he was Governor of Gyeonggi Province, stated, "Because problems could arise if construction companies were involved, I instructed to exclude construction companies," revealing that he directed 'fixed profit recovery, exclusion of construction companies, and a public offering centered on large financial institutions.'

On this day, the defense attorney also pointed out, "Didn’t you hear from lawyer Nam that Lee, who was then Mayor of Seongnam, said, ‘If it’s just the park (1st Industrial Complex Neighborhood Park), then take care of everything else yourselves’?" "It was the mayor who decided that, so how can former Director Yoo claim he exerted influence to make it happen?" Accountant Jung responded, "I did not know the internal process well."

The defense attorney also asked, "Just from the recordings, it naturally seems ‘the mayor decided it,’ but what did you hear from Kim Man-bae and Nam Wook that made you say former Director Yoo exerted influence?" Accountant Jung replied, "I only heard the mayor’s story once or twice, so I answered that way."

Meanwhile, former Director Yoo remained silent about Lee during his detention and trial, but since his release on the 20th after the expiration of his detention period, he has been making explosive statements daily. It is reported that he gave decisive testimony leading to the recent arrest of Lee’s close aide Kim Yong, deputy director of the Democratic Research Institute, on charges of receiving illegal presidential election funds amounting to around 800 million won. This testimony has expanded the prosecution’s investigation into Lee’s election funding.

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