Special Counsel Summons Former Land Minister Won Hee-ryong for First Questioning Over Yangpyeong Expressway Suspicions

Former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong, who is suspected of irregularities related to the change of route and subsequent nullification of the Yangpyeong Expressway, has appeared before the comprehensive independent counsel team.

The independent counsel team has been questioning Won as a suspect on charges of abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights since 10:00 a.m. today (July 23).

This marks the first time Won has appeared before the independent counsel team.

Previously, the independent counsel team had twice notified Won to appear for questioning as a suspect on abuse of authority charges, but the summonses could not be delivered as the premises were locked and unoccupied.

Arriving at the independent counsel team's office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, at around 9:46 a.m. today, Won stated, "After investigating for over a year alleging preferential treatment for the expressway, it appears they are now shifting their investigative target to the nullification declaration because the previous angle simply wasn't working. Since there are no illegal acts, things will not go as the independent counsel intends."

The suspicion surrounding the Yangpyeong Expressway route change alleges that while pursuing the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway project in 2023, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport altered the terminal route to an area near the land owned by the family of First Lady Kim Keon-hee, thereby granting preferential treatment.

The original route terminating in Yangseo-myeon had even passed the preliminary feasibility study in 2021, but suspicions of preferential treatment arose when the Ministry reviewed a route terminating in Gangsang-myeon—where the family of First Lady Kim owns land—in May 2023.

As the controversy grew, Won declared the project nullified in July of that year.

The comprehensive independent counsel is looking into suspicions that he failed to follow legal procedures during this process.

The special counsel team led by independent counsel Min Joong-ki, which previously investigated the matter, indicted a Ministry of Land official surnamed Kim and Korea Expressway Corporation employees on abuse of authority charges over the preferential treatment suspicions, but failed to uncover the culpability of former Minister Won Hee-ryong, who was pointed to as the "higher-up."

After taking over the case, the comprehensive independent counsel team placed a travel ban on Won last March and continued its investigation by conducting raids in April on the National Information Resources Service, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and former Vice Land Minister Baek Won-guk.

On the 15th, Won's mobile phone was seized.

Denying the allegations entirely, Won posted on his Facebook page, stating, "I will never yield to coercive investigations and unjust applications of the law."
 
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.