By Lee Tae-hoon
A 30-day investigation, to be led by a special counsel, will kick off today into alleged irregularities surrounding a now-scrapped project to build a retirement home for President Lee Myung-bak on Seoul's southern outskirts.
"The special investigation team will uncover the truth without a single doubt left behind," said special prosecutor Lee Kwang-bum Monday as he wrapped up his 10-day preparatory period before embarking on his investigation into a dubious real estate deal involving President Lee, his son Si-hyung and his aides.
In a press briefing, Lee said he will strictly abide by the law and principles when carrying out his month-long investigation into the alleged retirement home construction deal, a project that has already been abandoned.
Lee will lead a special investigation team of 63 personnel, including two assistant counsels, Lee Chang-hoon and Lee Seok-su. His team is also made up of police officers, officials of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, dispatched prosecutors and special investigators.
The probe will last 30 days with a 15-day possible extension, subject to request. It means that findings should lead to possible prosecution by Nov. 29, if any wrongdoing is uncovered as a result of the probe.
The team will mainly be looking into alleged violations of real estate laws and misappropriation of taxpayers' money over the scandalous project. The junior Lee and the security personnel involved in the suspicious land purchase are expected to be summoned for further questioning.
It was reported last year that Lee’s 34-year-old son partnered with the presidential security service to acquire a piece of land in Naegok-dong on the southern edge of Seoul, to construct a retirement home for incumbent President Lee and related auxiliary facilities for security personnel.
Details later emerged that the cost of the purchase was not shared evenly, thus triggering a backlash over what opposition parties claim was a choreographed scheme to ensure that the president’s son unduly profited from the deal in which the property was bought below-market price.
Meanwhile, the president’s office has flatly rejected accusations of the deal which smacks of a conspiracy to enable Lee's son to profit. Lee later scrapped the project and decided to move into his current private house in Nonhyun-dong in southern Seoul after leaving office.
The rival parties called for the special investigation after prosecutors wrapped up an initial probe in June into the scandal without pressing charges against any of the persons involved in the deal, a move that triggered a wave of public outcry.
The opposition Democratic United Party (UDP) has been stepping up efforts to capitalize on this scandal to score vital political points against the ruling Saenuri Party in the run-up to the presidential election slated for Dec. 19.
The Saenuri Party, for its part, has put up a posture of indifference about the issues, apparently part of its strategy of distancing from Lee Myung-bak’s lame duck presidency.