Comprehensive Special Probe to Question Won Hee-ryong on July 23... Investigating Circumstances of Yangpyeong Expressway Cancellation

Summons Scheduled After Two Unsuccessful Attempts at Attendance
Special Investigation Team to Probe for Procedural Violations in Project Cancellation

Former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong will be questioned on July 23 by the second comprehensive special investigation team led by Kwon Changyoung regarding suspicions over changes to the Yangpyeong Expressway route.

Won Hee-ryong, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, is giving an interview with The Asia Business Daily in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. Photo by Yongjun Cho jun21@

On July 18, the special investigation team announced to the media, "Former Minister Won will appear for questioning at 10 a.m. on the 23rd." The team had previously summoned him twice as a suspect on charges of abuse of authority, but the notices could not be delivered as no one was present at the address.

The Yangpyeong Expressway allegations involve an attempt by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in 2023 to change the project's endpoint from Yangseo-myeon to Gangsang-myeon, an area where First Lady Kim Keonhee's family owns land. As public controversy grew over possible favoritism, former Minister Won declared a full cancellation of the project in July of the same year.

The special investigation team plans to focus on whether former Minister Won complied with legal procedures in deciding to halt the project. It is reported that no evidence has yet been found indicating his direct involvement in the route change itself.

Previously, the separate special investigation team led by Min Joongki, which was investigating First Lady Kim Keonhee, indicted a Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport officer and employees of Korea Expressway Corporation on charges of abuse of authority but was unable to determine any responsibility at higher levels such as former Minister Won.

After taking over the case, the comprehensive special investigation team imposed an overseas travel ban on former Minister Won in March, and conducted searches at the ministry, the National Information Resources Service, and the residence of former Vice Minister Baek Wonguk. On July 15, the team also seized former Minister Won's mobile phone.

At that time, former Minister Won stated on social media, "I will never yield to excessive investigations and unfair application of the law."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.