President Moon Jae-in is facing growing calls to appoint a special counsel to uncover the whole truth behind a massive corruption scandal surrounding an apartment development project in Seongnam, south of Seoul. The calls are getting louder after two officials ― one incumbent and the other former ― of the city-run Seongnam Development Corp. (SDC) died in apparent suicides.
Kim Moon-ki, head of the SDC's development division, was found dead at his office Tuesday. He was presumed to have committed suicide after undergoing questioning by the police and the prosecution as well as the corporation's internal inspection over his alleged involvement in the project. His death came after Yoo Han-gi, former head of the SDC's construction development team, killed himself Dec. 10.
Kim and Yoo were working-level officials who carried out the project in 2015 under Yoo Dong-gyu, a former chief of the corporation's planning headquarters and close aide to then Seongnam Mayor Lee Jae-myung, who is now the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). So the deaths of the two key figures have dealt a setback to investigators who are under mounting pressure to confirm the allegations that Lee might have been deeply involved in the corruption scandal.
Kim had faced allegations that he played a role in removing from the project contract a clause calling for recouping excessive development profits from private investors. Its removal allowed Hwacheon Daeyu, the main private developer, and its seven affiliates to reap 850 billion won ($714 million) in excess profit, almost 1,000 times their initial investments. He also allegedly helped the developer to win the contract for the project.
The prosecution has already indicted Yoo Dong-gyu on charges of receiving bribes from the private developer and causing losses to the SDC and the municipal government. Several private investors, including Hwacheon Daeyu owner Kim Man-bae, have also been indicted for offering bribes to city officials, lawmakers and judges in return for business favors.
However, the prosecution has been under severe public criticism for dragging its feet in investigating the scandal thoroughly, in a dubious move seen as protecting the ruling party candidate. The top law enforcement agency seems to be currying favor with the powers that be by not digging deeper into the case. As things stand now, it is difficult to expect the prosecution to question Lee over his alleged implication in the corruption scandal.
Kim's bereaved family strongly accused law enforcement authorities of targeting only Kim and other working-level officials who had just been following orders from higher-ups. It is impossible to get to the bottom of the case without investigating Lee who was the top decision-maker overseeing the development project.
The only solution is for President Moon to appoint an independent counsel. Lee has repeatedly said that he is ready to come in for questioning by a special prosecutor. But what he is really up to is still doubtful. Both the ruling and opposition parties should pass an independent counsel bill immediately to shed light on the case before the March 9 presidential poll. Otherwise, they cannot restore public trust, and will only deepen voters' political antipathy.