'LH Bid Rigging' Allegations... National University Professor and Company CEO Appear for Warrant Hearing

The representative of a supervision company and the evaluation committee members, who are suspected of exchanging bribes during the bidding evaluation process for apartment construction project management (supervision) services commissioned by Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) and the Public Procurement Service, are now facing the possibility of detention.

Jumo, a screening committee member and former national university professor accused of 'LH bidding corruption,' is attending the warrant hearing held on the 27th at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

At 11:30 a.m. on the same day, Shin Young-hee, the chief judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Central District Court, is conducting a pre-trial detention hearing (warrant substantive examination) for Mr. Joo, a former university professor suspected of bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.

Mr. Joo is accused of receiving a total of 60 million KRW in bribes from the representative of a construction office as a reward for evaluation in the LH-commissioned supervision service bidding in December 2020.

When Mr. Joo appeared at the Seoul Central District Court for the hearing, he did not respond to reporters' questions such as "Do you admit to receiving 60 million KRW from a bidding participant company?" and "Did you actually get involved in the LH service bidding after receiving the money?" and entered the courtroom silently.

Judge Shin is also reviewing the detention status of Mr. Heo, a national university professor, and Mr. Kim, the representative of an architectural office, on the same day.

Mr. Heo is accused of receiving 25 million KRW in bribes from Mr. Kim while serving as an evaluation committee member for supervision services commissioned by the Public Procurement Service from June to October 2022.

The prosecution has been investigating since August last year, believing that participating companies colluded in the supervision service bidding commissioned by LH and the Public Procurement Service and bribed evaluation committee members as a reward for favors during the bidding evaluation process. In December last year, the prosecution also conducted searches and seizures of the offices and residences of supervision company employees and evaluation committee members.

The decision on whether to detain Mr. Joo, Mr. Heo, and Mr. Kim is expected to be made as early as this afternoon.

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