[Exclusive] Prosecution Launches Investigation into Former Gangwon Governor Choi Moon-soon over Lego Land Construction Cost Allegations

Suspicion Over Illegal Landfill Waste and Backfill Construction Costs
Prosecutors Say "Don't Know Well, Difficult to Talk" but Do Not Deny

On March 26, at the Legoland Korea Resort completion ceremony held in the Jungdo area of Chuncheon City, Gangwon Province, Choi Moon-soon, Governor of Gangwon Province, is delivering a congratulatory speech. [Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] The prosecution has launched an investigation into allegations that former Gangwon Province Governor Choi Moon-soon and Jungdo Development Corporation (GJC) embezzled part of the construction costs during the Chuncheon Legoland infrastructure project.

The Gangwon civic group Jungdo Headquarters (Chuncheon Jungdo Seonsa Relics Preservation Headquarters) announced on the 2nd that they had received notification from the Chuncheon District Prosecutors' Office about the commencement of the investigation.

In this regard, the prosecution effectively admitted that the investigation had begun by avoiding direct answers and not denying the allegations. A Chuncheon District Prosecutors' Office official said, "I don't know much about the investigation plan related to former Governor Choi Moon-soon," but added, "There are several cases, but it is difficult to comment."

Earlier, on the 15th of last month, the Jungdo Headquarters filed a complaint accusing former Gangwon Province Governor Choi Moon-soon and Jungdo Development Corporation of embezzling construction costs for the Legoland infrastructure project. The complaint also named major construction companies responsible for the project.

In the complaint, Jungdo Headquarters claimed, "The backfilling construction cost alone was 18 billion KRW, and according to the Cultural Heritage Administration's instructions, sand was supposed to be used for backfilling. However, GJC claimed that sand was expensive and instead buried construction site waste materials."

It is alleged that during former Governor Choi's tenure, GJC, a Gangwon Province-funded institution, allocated 47.5 billion KRW for the Legoland infrastructure project, including 18 billion KRW for backfilling the prehistoric relic site (including sand purchase costs), but did not use sand and buried various construction wastes from the site instead.

In November 2015, the Cultural Heritage Administration's Subcommittee on Buried Cultural Properties conditionally approved the "Preservation Plan for the Legoland Tourism Facility Site," requiring "sand (30 cm) and more than 1.5 m of onsite soil backfilling" for Bronze Age dwelling remains and other relics. At that time, the Cultural Heritage Administration determined that tens of thousands of tons of sand, 30 cm in height, were necessary for development at the Jungdo site, where 1,266 prehistoric house sites were discovered.

However, in April 2020, illegal landfill construction wastes such as waste concrete were found at the Legoland infrastructure construction site, including the Jungdo relic site.

The prosecution is reportedly focusing its investigation on the discovery of large amounts of illegally dumped construction waste such as waste concrete at the site, contrary to the Cultural Heritage Administration's directive to backfill the relic site with sand, as well as on the use of funds allocated for sand purchases.

Former Governor Choi, who was referred to the prosecution on charges of obstructing the Alpenzia bidding process, is also under investigation related to the Legoland project. He has been reported to the Gangwon Provincial Police Agency by Gangwon Provincial Assembly member Park Ki-young on charges including breach of trust under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes, abuse of authority, and neglect of duty.

The investigation into former Governor Choi's alleged obstruction of the Alpenzia bidding process is being handled by the Violent Crime Investigation Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. This development is expected to intensify the prosecution's investigation into the various allegations surrounding former Governor Choi.

As Gangwon Governor Kim Jin-tae announced the early repayment of 205 billion KRW in debt guarantees that GJC must repay, former Governor Choi is also being pointed to as a cause of the so-called "Legoland-triggered financial crisis," which is expected to cause significant repercussions in the political sphere.

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