Namuk to Appear Next Month... Yudonggyu Expected to Join the Expos? Battle He Ignited

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Amidst the ongoing revelations by Yoo Dong-gyu, former Planning Director of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation and a key figure in the Daejang-dong urban development project favoritism and lobbying scandal, another individual, lawyer Nam Wook, is also nearing release, drawing attention to his forthcoming actions.

According to the legal community on the 25th, unless there are special variables, Lawyer Nam is scheduled to be released on the 22nd of next month upon expiration of his detention period. Nam was re-arrested just before the expiration of his detention period on May 20th, resulting in a six-month extension. A prosecution official told this outlet, "Since the Daejang-dong case and the Wirye New Town case were not consolidated, Lawyer Nam is expected to be released soon," adding, "Currently, there are no special measures the prosecution can take to extend the detention period."

The prosecution requested the court to consolidate the first trial of the Daejang-dong case with the additional indictment of Yoo and Nam for the 'Wirye New Town development project corruption' case to extend their detention, but this was not accepted.

There is speculation within the legal community that Lawyer Nam is likely to join the 'exposure battle' ignited by former Director Yoo once he is released. It is reported that Nam was quite dissatisfied early in the prosecution’s investigation into the Daejang-dong allegations, as the investigation was based solely on the recordings of accountant Jung Young-hak, which led to his indictment.

Should he speak out, the political landscape is expected to be shaken multiple times. Lawyer Nam is identified as a key figure in the 'illegal political funds suspicion,' having created and acted as the delivery agent for 847 million KRW transferred to Kim Yong, Deputy Director of the Democratic Research Institute. It is also reported that during recent prosecution questioning, he stated that "the money came from my business entity." The prosecution confirmed that when Kim requested 2 billion KRW last year, corporate funds from NSJ Holdings (formerly Cheonhwa Dongin No. 4), operated by Nam, were liquidated, and they secured physical evidence such as memos recording amounts and expenditures made by Nam’s associate, Mr. Lee. At that time, Nam was pushing for the relocation of a military ammunition depot in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, and the funds were investigated to have been transferred to Deputy Director Kim as a form of solicitation.

The prosecution is also investigating text message exchanges recovered between Lawyer Nam and an employee at a nightlife establishment in Gangnam, Seoul, examining evidence that the Daejang-dong group entertained Jeong Jin-sang, Chief Political Coordinator in the office of Representative Jeong Jin-sang, a close aide to Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, and Deputy Director Kim with drinks.

Meanwhile, former Director Yoo met with reporters after the Daejang-dong case trial concluded the previous day, stating, "I have endured for a year," and "I once thought it would be good to be with those I called brothers. But after coming out, I realized there was no reason to do so. From now on, I will speak only with facts." Lawyer Jeong Min-yong, who served as the Strategic Business Director at Seongnam Urban Development, also explained after the same trial, "Lawyer Nam Wook told me to 'give this to (Yoo) Dong-gyu,' so I received and delivered 847 million KRW, returning 100 million KRW back to Lawyer Nam," adding, "Lawyer Jeong was merely running errands." He emphasized, "The meaningful point is that the three people involved?the creator (Nam Wook), the deliverer (Jeong Min-yong), and the transmitter (Yoo Dong-gyu)?are telling the same story, so why is Deputy Director Kim denying it?"

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