Minju's Full-Scale Offensive on the "Expressway Gate"... Government and Ruling Party Call It "Merely Incitement"

Expressway Terminal Site Planned from Yangseo-myeon to Gangsang-myeon, Yangpyeong-gun
Opposition: "12 Plots Owned by Kim Geon-hi's Family"
Won Hee-ryong: "Democratic Party's Baseless Agitation... Project Canceled"

Allegations that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport attempted to change the Seoul-Yangpyeong expressway route to give preferential treatment to First Lady Kim Keon-hee's family have emerged as a focal issue in the political landscape. The allegation concerns the change of the Seoul-Yangpyeong expressway terminus, scheduled to begin construction in 2025 and open in 2031, to Gangsaeng-myeon, Yangpyeong-gun, where the First Lady's family owns land.

First Lady Kim Keon-hee, wife of President Yoon Suk-yeol, is delivering a congratulatory speech at the opening ceremony of the 2023 Gangneung World Choir Competition held at Gangneung Arena, Gangwon Province, on the 3rd. Photo by Yonhap News

Originally, both the 2017 plan and the preliminary feasibility study conducted two years ago designated the terminus as Yangseo-myeon, Yangpyeong-gun. However, controversy arose in May when the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport disclosed the 'Decision Contents of Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment Items' changing the terminus from Yangseo-myeon to Gangsaeng-myeon.

The Democratic Party claims that under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, the terminus was suddenly changed to the area where the First Lady's family owns land, asserting that the Seoul-Yangpyeong expressway route was altered to give preferential treatment to her family.

Democratic Party lawmaker Kang Deuk-gu stated on the CBS radio program 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' on the 6th, "The terminus of the Yangpyeong expressway is only about 500 meters away, and the Namyangpyeong (Nadeulmok) IC is just over 1 km away from lands owned by First Lady Kim Keon-hee's family. According to our confirmation, there are 12 parcels."

Kang Deuk-gu, member of the Democratic Party of Korea. Photo by Kang's Facebook

Former People Power Party lawmaker Kim Seon-kyo, who was the Yangpyeong district representative at the time, said, "The preliminary feasibility study approval for the Seoul-Yangpyeong expressway did not consider the establishment of any ICs within Yangpyeong-gun, leading to a flood of demands from Yangpyeong residents for new ICs." He explained that the change plan was prepared based on his requests and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's review results.

On the 5th, he claimed on Facebook, "While the preliminary feasibility study approval made it impossible to establish new ICs, the change plan allows for the establishment of ICs within Yangpyeong-gun, enabling residents to use the expressway."

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport refuted the opposition party's allegations and declared a complete cancellation of the Seoul-Yangpyeong expressway project. Minister Won Hee-ryong met with the People Power Party at the National Assembly on the 6th and told reporters, "We cannot waste national resources while the Democratic Party's inflammatory frame is in operation," adding, "Because the Democratic Party's relentless agitation will continue, we are scrapping the project altogether."

Meanwhile, the People Power Party's Media Legal Team filed a complaint with the police on the 6th against former Democratic Party leader Lee Hae-chan and others.

Earlier, at a party member event held in Jeonju, Jeonbuk, on the 16th of last month, former leader Lee said, "They changed the expressway route in Yangpyeong so that it passes through land they had bought," adding, "No president in history has done such a thing. They may have done it secretly, but never openly."

In response, the People Power Party's Media Legal Team denied that President Yoon was involved in changing the Seoul-Yangpyeong expressway route. They further claimed, "The president's in-laws did not engage in land speculation, and the Seoul-Yangpyeong expressway route change is not finalized but only a proposed change."

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