Former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong, who faces allegations of misconduct related to the modification and cancellation of the Yangpyeong Expressway route, has appeared before the 2nd Independent Counsel team led by Kwon Chang-young and undergone nine hours of questioning.

The Independent Counsel team summoned and questioned Won as a suspect on charges of abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights for nine hours from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on this day (the 23rd).

This marks the first time Won has appeared before the Independent Counsel team.

Previously, the Independent Counsel team had notified Won twice to appear for questioning as a suspect on charges of abuse of authority, but the notices were not delivered because he was away with the door locked.

Speaking to reporters before the questioning on this morning, Won stated, "After investigating for over a year alleging preferential treatment for the expressway, it appears they are now changing course to target the cancellation declaration since that is getting nowhere. Because there are no illegal acts, things will not go the way the Independent Counsel intends."

The allegations surrounding the modification of the Yangpyeong Expressway route center on claims that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport changed the terminal route during the expressway project in 2023 to pass near land owned by the family of Kim Keon-hee, the spouse of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, 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 in May 2023, where the land owned by Kim Keon-hee's family is located.

Amid the controversy, Won declared the cancellation of the project in July of that year.

The Independent Counsel team is looking into suspicions that Won did not follow proper 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 Korea Expressway Corporation employees involved in the preferential treatment allegations on charges of abuse of authority, but failed to uncover the culpability of former Minister Won Hee-ryong, who had been pointed to as the higher-up.

Having taken over the case, the Independent Counsel team imposed a travel ban on Won in 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 Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Baek Won-guk.

The Independent Counsel team seized Won's mobile phone on the 15th.

Immediately following that search and seizure, Won posted a message on social media completely denying the allegations and protesting, saying, "I will never yield to coercive investigations and unfair application of the law."

(Photo: Yonhap News)