Choi In-ho: "Yangpyeong Expressway Service Contracted Under Moon Administration, But Actual Service Performed Under Yoon Administration"

On the 26th, during a National Assembly urgent inquiry against the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport regarding allegations of preferential treatment related to the presidential family’s land on the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway, the Democratic Party of Korea rebutted the People Power Party’s claim that the feasibility study for the Yangpyeong Expressway was conducted during the Moon Jae-in administration by stating that "the actual feasibility study was conducted under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration."

Democratic Party lawmaker Choi In-ho said on MBC's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the 26th, "The contract was signed on March 29 last year, during the Moon Jae-in administration, and of course March 29 was also during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration transition period. However, the feasibility study was effectively carried out after the Yoon Suk-yeol administration took office," he said.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He added, "During the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, the process of changing the terminus to an area where the presidential family’s land is concentrated took place. That is a fact," and claimed, "Throughout the years-long preliminary feasibility study, the subsequent feasibility study that was supposed to verify it consistently concluded from the beginning to focus on the direction of Gangsang-myeon, where the land of the presidential family, including Kim Geon-hee’s family, is concentrated, and the feasibility study was conducted accordingly, which is continuously being revealed now."

Lawmaker Choi pointed out that the problem lies in the fact that the route was changed fundamentally to a different one from the preliminary feasibility study just 48 days after the feasibility study contract was signed. He said, "When the feasibility study company and the Ministry of Land start the study, they report the feasibility study project about two weeks after the contract. And 48 days after signing the contract, they already reported to the Korea Expressway Corporation that the terminus would be changed to Gangsang-myeon, where the land of First Lady Kim Geon-hee’s family is concentrated," adding, "How can they conclude to change the route so fundamentally different from the preliminary feasibility study?"

He continued, "I had a long phone conversation with the vice president responsible for the feasibility study company. The vice president said that, as I just mentioned, the feasibility study process involved exploring alternatives, which takes a considerable amount of time. However, after various issues surfaced, the Ministry of Land’s explanation was proven false as documents were disclosed, showing that such a process never existed," emphasizing, "From the beginning, the feasibility study company started with the plan to change the terminus to Gangsang-myeon."

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