Prosecutors Conduct Search and Seizure at Gunsan City Hall Over 'Saemangeum Solar Power Favoritism Allegations'

The prosecution has launched a search and seizure operation at Gunsan City Hall and other locations in connection with allegations of preferential treatment in the selection of the Saemangeum solar power project operator.

The Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office's National Financial Crime Joint Investigation Team (Chief Prosecutor Yoo Jin-seung) began the search and seizure at 10 a.m. on the 26th, targeting the Gunsan City Hall mayor's office and annex, the department in charge of onshore solar power, and two local construction companies responsible for the onshore solar power construction.

Earlier, the Board of Audit and Inspection announced interim results of an audit on the renewable energy project implementation and requested the prosecution to investigate Mayor Kang Im-jun of Gunsan.

Gunsan City has been promoting the Saemangeum Onshore Solar Power Zone 2 project, with a total project cost of 120 billion won, and in 2020 selected two local construction company consortia as preferred negotiation candidates. The Board of Audit and Inspection reportedly detected circumstances in which Mayor Kang ordered the contract signing despite reports that a construction company, whose representative is an acquaintance of the mayor, was unlikely to meet the conditions for preferred negotiation, leading to the request for investigation.

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