[경제]LH·Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Investigation Expansion’Surly’…’Use of Internal Information’ Issues

[앵커]

The public criticism of the alleged purchase of land speculation in a new city by Korea Land and Housing Corporation and LH employees, which should prevent real estate speculation and transparently promote housing supply policies, is criticized.

In the midst of expanding the investigation to not only LH but also officials of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, finding out whether to purchase land using pre-development information is expected to become a key issue.

Reporter Kim Hyun-woo’s report.

[기자]

When the news of an employee’s thorough investigation on allegations of speculation was delivered, the interior of LH is truly a portrait house.

We are worried that further suspicions will arise along with complaints about the employees.

[LH 관계자 : 초상집 분위기에 가까운 것 같고, 정부에서 추진하려는 공공주도의 정책들에 대해서 누가 될까 우려하는 부분들도 있고, 회사 이미지 추락에 대해서 걱정하는 부분들도 있고….]

In particular, as investigations have expanded to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which oversees supply measures, and their families, we are keenly aware of the wave.

[국토교통부 고위 관계자 : 실제 이 사업(광명·시흥 신도시)을 착수한 곳이 국토부하고 LH니까 국토부하고 LH가 (투기 의혹 조사의) 중심이 될 것 같고요.]

The Special Public Housing Act requires ex- or current employees of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and/or related organizations to use information learned during business processing for any purpose other than their intended use, subject to imprisonment for up to 5 years or a fine of up to 50 million won.

While the parties are known to have fully denied the allegations, the investigation will likely focus on whether preliminary speculation using inside information has been conducted.

The timing of LH employees’ purchase of land for the third new city was concentrated from April 2018 to June of last year, much ahead of the government’s announcement of the new city last month.

[김태근 / 변호사 (민변 민생경제위원회 위원장) : 만약 광명·시흥 신도시 지역을 업무상 비밀로 지정해 관리했는데, LH 공사 직원들이 이 비밀을 이용해 이 사건과 같은 투기행위를 했다면 이는 명백한 부패방지법상 업무상 비밀이용 금지 의무 위반행위로써 ‘업무상비밀이용죄’에 해당합니다.]

However, in the light of previous cases, there is a prospect that it will be difficult to prove the use of inside information.

Also, there are concerns that the investigation by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport may only cover my family members.

This is because in the case of the 3rd new city drawing leak reported by YTN in 2018, only the dismissal of the LH contract employee was controversial with the cotton bat.

In particular, there is a lot of skepticism about whether a proper self-audit will be carried out, as the tenure of LH President Byun Chang-heum’s tenure as President of LH and the period of purchase of Shindoji land by employees suspected of speculation overlap.

YTN Kim Hyun-woo[[email protected]]is.

[저작권자(c) YTN & YTN plus 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]

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