Prosecutors Transfer Investigation of Former Gangwon Governor Choi Moon-soon to Police Over 'Legoland Construction Cost Suspicion'

Legal circles, "Even if investigations are handed over to the police, the prosecution can also investigate depending on the case"
Jungdo Headquarters, "Should push for claims against those who seized criminal proceeds"
Cultural Heritage Administration, "If judicial rulings on Jungdo site damage are issued, 'restoration' will be enforced"

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 handed over the case involving former Gangwon Governor Choi Moon-soon and Gangwon Jungdo Development Corporation (GJC), who were accused by a civic group of embezzlement related to the Legoland infrastructure construction costs (reported by this paper on December 2), to the police.

The civic group Jungdo Headquarters (Chuncheon Jungdo Prehistoric Site Preservation Headquarters) announced on the 18th, "We received notification from the prosecution that the investigation of former Gangwon Governor Choi Moon-soon and GJC, the Legoland operators, who were reported for suspicions of embezzlement of the Chuncheon Legoland construction costs, has been transferred to the police."

Jungdo Headquarters disclosed some details related to the reported case received from the Chuncheon District Prosecutors' Office. The contents include charges against eight individuals, including former Governor Choi, for "violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes (embezzlement)" and "violation of the Cultural Heritage Protection and Investigation Act."

Jungdo Headquarters also revealed recent discussions with the Cultural Heritage Administration. According to the materials, the Cultural Heritage Administration stated, "Once a judicial institution issues a ruling, the administrative agency must enforce the judicial ruling," and promised to remove waste and restore the site to its original state.

The Cultural Heritage Administration's Subcommittee on Buried Cultural Properties conditionally approved in November 2015 the "Preservation Plan for the Legoland Tourism Facility Site," stating, "Bronze Age dwelling remains and other relics should be covered with at least 30 cm of sand and more than 1.5 m of on-site soil."

At that time, the Cultural Heritage Administration judged that tens of thousands of tons of sand would be required for the 30 cm height and covering work for development at the Jungdo site, where 1,266 prehistoric dwellings were discovered.

However, in April 2020, construction waste such as discarded concrete illegally buried at the Legoland infrastructure construction site, including the Jungdo site, was discovered.

On the 16th, members of the Civic Group Jungdo Headquarters called for the dissolution and punishment of Jungdo Development Corporation (GJC). [Jungdo Headquarters]

Earlier, on the 15th of last month, Jungdo Headquarters filed a criminal complaint against former Governor Choi, GJC, Hyundai Construction, Daelim Industrial, and Beom Architecture for violations of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes, among other charges.

Jungdo Headquarters claimed, "During Governor Choi Moon-soon's tenure, GJC, a Gangwon Province-funded institution, allocated 18 billion KRW (including sand purchase costs) for the covering work of the prehistoric site out of the 47.5 billion KRW Legoland infrastructure construction budget, but instead of using sand, various construction wastes were buried at the site."

Kim Jong-moon, head of Jungdo Headquarters, said, "We urge the prompt rehabilitation application and dissolution of GJC," adding, "We must also pursue claims for damages against those who have profited from crimes through GJC so far."

Meanwhile, regarding the police taking charge of this case, the legal community interprets this as an intention to prevent possible investigative deadlock and evidence destruction between the prosecution and police, since the prosecution can also directly investigate depending on the amount involved in the Legoland-related breach of trust.

The prosecution will monitor the police investigation results and, upon case transfer, may request arrest warrants, conduct supplementary investigations, prosecute, and proceed to trial.

With the revision of enforcement ordinances responding to the 'Complete Abolition of Prosecution's Investigation Rights' (검수완박) following the adjustment of investigative authority between prosecution and police, the scope of prosecution investigations has been restored and significantly expanded to include corruption and economic crimes, extending to public official crimes.

In particular, bribery cases involving public officials of grade 4 or higher, amounts exceeding 30 million KRW, or rebates exceeding 50 million KRW, and other serious offenses with large damage amounts can be investigated by the prosecution.

Thus, while the prosecution is not directly investigating this case, it can decide whether to accept the police investigation results for case transfer or conduct independent investigations, thereby avoiding potential legal issues regarding investigative authority during future trial proceedings.

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