Team launched in February, extended once in May; seeks presidential approval for second extension
By Choi Eui-jong, The Herald Business
The second comprehensive special prosecutor team led by Special Prosecutor Kwon Chang-young — investigating allegations left unresolved after the three earlier special counsel probes into insurrection, Kim Keon Hee and the Marine corporal case — has confirmed that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport received legal advice warning that then-Minister Won Hee-ryong's declaration canceling the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway project may have violated the law.
The special prosecutor team held a briefing Sunday at its office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, and said it confirmed that the ministry received legal advice indicating the cancellation announcement carried potential legal violations, yet distributed a press release stating there were no such concerns.
The Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway controversy centers on allegations that the Yoon Suk Yeol administration granted preferential treatment to relatives of first lady Kim Keon Hee when it revisited the expressway's terminal route in May 2023 — years after the project cleared a preliminary feasibility review in 2021. As public criticism mounted, then-Minister Won declared the project canceled.
The Kim Keon Hee special prosecutor team under Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki indicted a former ministry official surnamed Kim last year on charges of obstruction of rights through abuse of authority. It was unable to conclude its investigation into former Minister Won before its mandate expired, however. The case was subsequently transferred to the current special prosecutor team via police. Won has been placed under a travel ban.
Deputy Special Prosecutor Kim Ji-mi said Sunday that the team had questioned Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport civil servants as witnesses "to investigate whether proper procedures were followed in the route change and the cancellation."
The special prosecutor team had previously notified former People Power Party lawmaker Na Kyung-won to appear for questioning on Friday, on suspicion that she participated in a rally opposing the execution of an arrest warrant against former President Yoon Suk Yeol and obstructed that execution.
Na's side did not appear and instead replied that it would submit a written response. The special prosecutor team said it would review the written response before deciding whether to issue a new summons. Na's camp has maintained that the special prosecutor team's investigative intent is improper. Deputy Special Prosecutor Kim said Sunday, however, that "Na has not submitted a response."
The special prosecutor team has also been directing its focus toward the former prosecution leadership in connection with allegations that investigations into Kim Keon Hee's Deutsch Motors stock manipulation case and the Dior bag probe were suppressed. The team is weighing whether to indict the Deutsch Motors investigation team on charges of invalidating official documents. It had previously indicted former Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office chief Lee Chang-su and former anti-corruption division chief Choi Jae-hun.
Deputy Special Prosecutor Kim said the team "confirmed indications that written question-and-answer exchanges had been destroyed rather than filed in the investigative record." Separately, the team plans to summon former Korean National Police Agency Commissioner General Yoon Hee-geun for questioning Monday on suspicion that an investigation into the Unification Church was suppressed.
The special prosecutor team believes the Joint Chiefs of Staff was involved in the martial law declaration and is investigating former Chairman Kim Myung-su and others. It has executed arrest warrants against three individuals, including former Chairman Jeong Jin-pal, for whom warrants were recently issued. For former Chairman Kim, whose warrant the court rejected, the team said it would concentrate its investigative resources on building a stronger case given the legal issues involved.
The team is also investigating allegations that former Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung was involved in the Dec. 3 emergency martial law declaration. It plans to summon Shim and former Ministry of Justice Correctional Headquarters chief Shin Yong-hae on Tuesday as suspects on charges of playing a key role in insurrection.
The special prosecutor team, which launched in February, applied for one extension after its initial mandate expired in May. It said it applied for a further extension on Thursday, as the extended period is also set to conclude at the end of this month.
Under the comprehensive special prosecutor act, if an investigation cannot be completed within the basic period, it may be extended once for 30 days. If the investigation remains incomplete after that extension, a further 30-day extension — also limited to one time — may be granted with presidential approval.
bell@heraldcorp.com
