Special Prosecutor Requests Arrest Warrant for Kim Jinwoo, Brother of Kim Keonhee; Mother Choi Eunsun to Be Investigated Without Detention

Kim Jinwoo Faces Charges of Loss of National Funds, Embezzlement, Breach of Trust, and Evidence Destruction
"Choi Eunsun's Level of Involvement and Mother-Son Relationship Taken Into Account"

The special prosecutor team led by Min Junggi, which is investigating allegations of preferential treatment in the Yangpyeong Gongheung District development project, requested an arrest warrant for Kim Jinwoo, the brother of Mrs. Kim, on November 14.

Kim Jinwoo, the older brother of Kim Gunhee, is appearing for a suspect investigation at the Kim Gunhee Special Prosecutor's Office set up in the KT Building in Gwanghwamun, Seoul on November 4, 2025. Photo by Yoon Dongju

The special prosecutor's team announced to the media on the same day, "We have requested an arrest warrant for Mr. Kim on charges of loss of national funds under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes, as well as embezzlement and breach of trust in the course of work, and destruction of evidence." Regarding Mrs. Kim's mother, Choi Eunsun, the team decided not to seek an arrest warrant, taking into account the extent of her involvement, her relationship as Kim Jinwoo's mother, and the relatively low risk of evidence destruction.

The two are suspected of consecutively managing the developer ESI&D and, between 2011 and 2016, building an apartment complex with 350 units in the Gongheung District of Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi Province. Despite generating sales of approximately 80 billion won, they allegedly fabricated false documents by inflating construction costs and reducing profits in order to lower the development charges.

Initially, Yangpyeong County imposed development charges of approximately 1.7 billion won, but after receiving two objections and correction requests, the county ultimately decided not to levy the charges at all.

After allegations of preferential treatment surfaced ahead of the 20th presidential election, Yangpyeong County belatedly imposed development charges of about 187 million won on ESI&D in November 2021. The Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Unit of the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency, which investigated the case, referred five individuals including Mr. Kim to the prosecution in May 2023, but decided not to refer Mrs. Choi and Mrs. Kim, concluding there was no evidence of their involvement.

Additionally, Mr. Kim and Mrs. Choi are also suspected of hiding items such as a golden turtle, which Mrs. Kim is suspected of having received improperly, at business premises or family residences.

The special prosecutor's team summoned Mr. Kim and Mrs. Choi on November 4 and November 11, respectively, and questioned each of them for about 12 hours. It is understood that both denied most of the charges.

On October 31, the special prosecutor's team also summoned Kim Chungsik, known as Mrs. Choi's closest aide, as a suspect on the same charges. The special prosecutor's team believes that Mr. Kim was deeply involved in the exemption of development charges for ESI&D. Kim Seonkyo, a People Power Party lawmaker who was the head of Yangpyeong County at the time of the project, is also under investigation.

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