The second comprehensive independent counsel team led by Kwon Chang-young has summoned former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong once again regarding suspicions over the route change for the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway.

The special counsel team has been questioning Won as a suspect on charges of abuse of power starting at 10:00 a.m. today, August 6.

This is the second round of questioning, coming 14 days after his initial investigation on July 23.

Won is accused of declaring the cancellation of the project without going through legitimate review procedures in July 2023, following the emergence of suspicions regarding preferential treatment for First Lady Kim Keon-hee's family in connection with the modification of the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway terminus.

Suspensions arose after the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport reviewed a terminus route in Gangsang-myeon—where land owned by First Lady Kim's family is located—in May 2023, whereas the original route with the Yangseo-myeon terminus had even passed a preliminary feasibility study in 2021.

Won's stance is that he "had no involvement in the expressway project until the allegations of preferential treatment were raised," and that he "merely suspended the existing procedures because he judged as minister that normal project progression was difficult."

The special counsel team secured Won's cell phone through a seizure and search operation on July 15.

As Won refused to unlock his phone, the special counsel team requested the National Forensic Service to unlock it, and stated that they plan to proceed with the selection process for electronic information.

Regarding this, Won posted on his Facebook page, claiming, "The warrant issued for the seizure and search of my cell phone had a 10-day limit," and adding, "It ensured that myself or my legal counsel could participate if the original device was taken out."

He continued to criticize, stating, "However, the special counsel did not return the phone even after the expiration date, and did not guarantee the right to participate while conducting forensics," calling it "a clear violation of the warrant and the law."

The Kim Keon-hee special counsel team, which previously investigated the case, indicted Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport official Kim and Korea Expressway Corporation employees on charges of abuse of power regarding the preferential treatment suspicions, but failed to uncover the culpability of former Minister Won Hee-ryong, who was pointed to as the "higher-up."

(Photo: Yonhap News)