▲ Former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong
Former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong is scheduled to appear before the second comprehensive special counsel team led by Kwon Chang-young on July 23 for questioning regarding allegations of route changes for the Yangpyeong Expressway.
The special counsel team announced through a media notice today (July 18) that "former Minister Won is scheduled to appear for questioning at 10:00 a.m. on July 23."
Previously, the special counsel team had notified Won twice to appear for questioning as a suspect on charges of abuse of power, but the summons were not delivered as he was not present at his residence.
The allegations surrounding the Yangpyeong Expressway route change involve claims that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport granted special favors by altering the terminus of the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway project to an area where the family of First Lady Kim Keon-hee owns land in 2023.
The original route with a terminus in Yangseo-myeon had passed a preliminary feasibility study in 2021, but suspicions of preferential treatment arose when the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport began reviewing a route with a terminus in Gangsang-myeon, where the First Lady's family owns land, in May 2023.
As the controversy grew, Won announced the cancellation of the project in July of that year.
The comprehensive special counsel is investigating allegations that Won failed to follow legal procedures during this process.
The special counsel team led by Min Joong-ki, which previously investigated the matter, indicted a Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport official surnamed Kim and employees of the Korea Expressway Corporation on charges of abuse of power, but failed to establish the charges against former Minister Won, who was identified as the superior in charge.
After taking over the case, the comprehensive special counsel team imposed a travel ban on Won in March and has continued its investigation, including conducting raids on the National Information Resources Service, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and the office of former Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Baek Won-kook in April.
On July 15, the team seized Won's mobile phone.
In response, Won wrote on Facebook on July 15, "I will never yield to unreasonable investigations and unfair application of the law."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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