Moon urges speedy, thorough probe on Daejang-dong issue

President Moon Jae-in said on Tuesday that the prosecution and police should fully cooperate and make all-out efforts to conduct speedy and thorough investigation to ascertain the substantive truth about the Daejang-dong development project, which is suspected of favoritism and irregularities. This is the first time the president ordered rigorous investigation since the establishment of an investigation unit specifically dedicated to investigate the Daejang-dong scandal at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office 13 days ago.

Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Park Kyung-mee said that President Moon said as such at the cabinet meeting held this morning. "The president might have determined that now is the time to convey his message," said an official at Cheong Wa Dae. What the official asking to be unnamed said points to the fact that President Moon’s message was detached from any political calculation, as the electoral college voting for the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate ended on Sunday amid the intensifying public anger and mistrust over the suspicions involving the Daejang-dong development project.

President Moon reportedly intended to send a message urging rigorous investigation as Daejang-dong scandal continued unfolding with the arrest of Yoo Dong-gyu, acting chief of the Seongnam Development Corporation, but withdrew the intention after having been dissuaded by his advisors that such a message may influence the primary election. It was in this context that Cheong Wa Dae issued a simple statement on Oct. 5 that it is “closely watching” as the scandal evolves.

Some say that the crushing defeat of Lee Jae-myung in the third electoral college voting for the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate nomination awoke Cheong Wa Dae to the extremity of the public anger. Others assess that President Moon’s message is a sign of support for Lee Nak-yon, former chief of the ruling Democratic Party, who is objecting to the election results of the Democratic Party’s primaries. An official at Cheong Wa Dae rebuffed, saying that Moon’s message was “to urge the revealing of the substantive truth” and there was no political consideration involved. President Moon plans to meet with Lee Jae-myung soon.


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