The Democratic Party of Korea urged a thorough investigation, suggesting that Kim Keon-hee is implicated in the stock manipulation allegations involving the majority shareholder family and management of SAMBU Construction. The reason is that SAMBU Construction allegedly inflated its stock price using the Ukraine reconstruction project promoted by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.
Democratic Party Supreme Council Member Han Jun-ho said during a Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the morning of the 5th, "The suspicion that the masterminds behind the stock manipulation of SAMBU Construction are Yoon Suk-yeol and Kim Keon-hee has already been raised," and added, "A thorough investigation and inquiry regarding Kim Keon-hee, who is involved in the stock manipulation, is necessary."
The Financial Supervisory Service is investigating the fact that the majority shareholder family and management of SAMBU Construction sold hundreds of billions of won worth of SAMBU Construction shares from around 10 accounts for several months after May 2023. After attending the 'Ukraine Reconstruction Forum' held in Poland in May 2023, the stock price surged, reaching 5,500 won during trading in July of the same year.
Han said, "Lee Jong-ho, the former head of Black Pearl Investment, known as the account manager for Kim Keon-hee, left a message in a Marine Corps group chat saying, ‘Check SAMBU tomorrow,’" and added, "After that, former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong delivered a congratulatory speech at the global Ukraine reconstruction forum held in Poland, and SAMBU Construction announced that its executives attended the forum."
He pointed out, "The government, including then-Minister Won Hee-ryong, gave signals that there was no choice but for the stock price of SAMBU Construction to soar," and emphasized, "Before a series of events occurred, Kim Keon-hee's account manager said ‘Check SAMBU’ in the group chat."
Han also stated, "At this point, it is very natural to identify Yoon Suk-yeol and Kim Keon-hee as the masterminds of the stock manipulation at SAMBU Construction," and asked, "With Kim Keon-hee at the center of numerous allegations, until when can she escape and hide?"
Supreme Council Member Hong Seong-guk pointed out that the investigation related to the stock manipulation allegations involving SAMBU Construction is being delayed. He noted, "The important thing is that last week, SAMBU Construction entered court receivership," and remarked, "If former executives or majority shareholders sold those (stocks) and fled, the Financial Supervisory Service would have investigated. However, this has not been done until now, despite having been done 10 years ago, 20 years ago, and 30 years ago."
The stock manipulation allegations against SAMBU Construction emerged with the disclosure of contents from Lee Jong-ho’s group chat in the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation case. The details of the stock manipulation allegations against SAMBU Construction have been included in the special investigation law regarding Kim Keon-hee.