In Preparation for Lee Jae-myung Investigation... Prosecution Summons Jeong Jin-sang, Yoo Dong-gyu, and Former Seongnam Mayor

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The prosecution, investigating allegations of corruption in the development of Wirye New Town and Daejang-dong, summoned key figures related to the case one after another on the 17th. They appear to be solidifying charges ahead of summoning Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, for questioning.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 1 (Chief Prosecutor Eom Hee-jun) and Division 3 (Chief Prosecutor Kang Baek-shin) summoned Jeong Jin-sang, former Chief Political Coordination Officer at the Representative Office, and Yoo Dong-gyu, former head of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation (the Corporation), for questioning on the same day.

Jung Jin-sang, former Chief of Political Coordination Office at the Democratic Party of Korea Representative Office [Image source=Yonhap News]

The prosecution is known to be refining the final detailed facts regarding preferential treatment granted to private businesses by questioning the two, who were key reporting lines to Lee, then mayor of Seongnam, during the development project.

In previous investigations, former head Yoo testified that the profit distribution structure of the Daejang-dong development, which favored private parties, was reported to former officer Jeong, who was then the mayor’s policy secretary, and ultimately to Lee, the final approval authority. He also claimed that in exchange for granting such preferential treatment to private businesses, 42.8 billion KRW of development profits were promised to be received by personnel close to Lee.

The prosecution also summoned Park Jeong-oh, former deputy mayor of Seongnam City, who was involved in establishing the Corporation under Lee from January 2012 to June 2013, as a witness. Park had previously given a media interview stating that Lee had asked him at the end of 2012 to speak in favor of the Corporation’s establishment at the Seongnam City Council.

The prosecution is reportedly preparing a list of questions in anticipation of summoning Lee for questioning. They plan to meticulously structure the questions by closely comparing and analyzing Lee’s previous rebuttals and explanations regarding various allegations with the investigation details of related parties.

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