Temporary Lift of Travel Ban on Former Minister Baek Woon-gyu in Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant Trial
Former Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Baek Woon-gyu (left), former Blue House Industrial Policy Secretary Chae Hee-bong, and former President of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Jeong Jae-hoon
View original image[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The travel ban on former Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Baek Woon-gyu, who was indicted for improperly interfering in the economic feasibility evaluation of the Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant, has been lifted.
According to the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office on the 14th, the Criminal Division 11 of the Daejeon District Court (Presiding Judge Park Heon-haeng) responded last month that it was possible to approve the travel permit application submitted by former Minister Baek's side, and the Minister of Justice, who has the final authority, granted the lifting. Former Minister Baek plans to attend an international academic conference held in Japan from the 15th to the 18th.
A prosecution official stated, "Since the conference schedule is fixed and considering former Minister Baek's background, it was judged that there is no possibility he would not return to the country, so the permit was granted," and added, "We plan to reimpose the travel ban after his return."
The prosecution believes that in November 2017, former Minister Baek conspired with former Blue House Industrial Policy Secretary Chae Hee-bong and others to instruct Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power to submit a letter of intent for the early shutdown of Wolseong Unit 1. They are also accused of having Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power immediately suspend operations of Wolseong Unit 1 by a board resolution in June of the following year.
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Former Secretary Chae was also indicted for having Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power submit a facility status survey form containing the intent for early shutdown, and President Jeong was indicted alongside for causing damage to Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power by manipulating the evaluation results to make it appear that Wolseong Unit 1 was economically unfeasible under former Minister Baek's instructions.
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