Seoul Metropolitan Government Requests Formal Police Investigation Into Alleged Hangang Bus Rebates

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced today (October 16) that it has officially requested the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to launch a formal investigation into the suspected rebates surrounding the construction of Hangang Bus vessels.

Through an official statement released in the name of Spokesperson Ho Jun-seok, the city government stated, "We will undergo objective verification so that not a single doubt remains regarding the substance of the allegations, as well as the past investigation and handling process."

Along with requesting the investigation, the city stated that it will suspend the ongoing self-investigation by its audit committee and provide all secured investigative findings and related materials to the police, pledging full cooperation to ensure an independent and thorough investigation.

Emphasizing the principle that "any suspicions must be thoroughly uncovered and accountability must be established for anyone without exception," the city urged the Democratic Party of Korea to "halt political offensives that shake Seoul city administration and cause unnecessary confusion by putting forward unverified suspicions."

During yesterday's parliamentary audit of the Seoul Metropolitan Government by the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee, Democratic Party lawmakers including Park Joo-min raised suspicions that suspicious money flows involving a broker were detected in project funds paid to the Hangang Bus manufacturing company, and that part of that money may have flowed to a high-ranking official at the Seoul Housing & Communities Corporation (SH).

The Democratic Party lawmakers also raised suspicions over whether Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon was aware of this yet failed to properly investigate and instead covered it up.

In its statement, the city explained, "While conducting fact-finding investigations into the related matters, we deemed it appropriate to have a third-party agency investigate to enhance the objectivity and fairness of the probe, and thus previously requested a public interest audit from the Board of Audit and Inspection regarding the overall process of selecting the suspicious company." The city added, "However, as the Board of Audit and Inspection dismissed the request, the Seoul Metropolitan Government continued its own investigation through the Audit Committee."

According to the city, immediately after the Board of Audit and Inspection released its audit results regarding the Hangang Bus, it reported the implementation of additional investigations concerning the Hangang Bus ship contract to Mayor Oh Se-hoon on June 18, and notified the Future Hangang Headquarters and SH of the investigation plan changes on July 14.

The city explained that from July 23 until yesterday, it has conducted fact-finding and material reviews, including issuing requests for investigative data three times, conducting one on-site visit, holding four interviews with related persons, and making 21 phone calls.

The city stated, "During yesterday's parliamentary audit by the Public Administration and Security Committee, unilateral political offensives continued without proper mention of Seoul's series of efforts to uncover the truth, including its request for an audit to the Board of Audit and Inspection, and this morning even the Democratic Party's floor leader used this as material for a political offensive." It added, "Judging that we can no longer leave the essence of the truth-finding process distorted by political offensives, we have immediately requested an investigation."

Earlier today, Democratic Party Floor Leader Han Byung-do urged during a Supreme Council meeting, "The suspicions of concealing corruption regarding the Hangang Bus revealed at yesterday's parliamentary audit are simply shocking," and called for "uncovering the truth through an independent investigation."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.