The Democratic Party of Korea raised suspicions on the 10th that Han Duck-soo, a preliminary candidate for the presidential election, received preferential treatment from Incheon city regarding the designation of urban natural park area in Namdong-gu, Incheon.
The Democratic Party of Korea's Central Election Countermeasure Committee Rapid Response Team stated at a press conference that afternoon, "We hope that Han Duck-soo and his spouse Choi Ah-young, as well as Incheon city, will respond clearly."
The response team claimed that the area of land in Unyeondong, Namdong-gu, Incheon, co-owned by the family of candidate Han and Choi Ah-young, was designated as an urban natural park area during the term of former Incheon Mayor Song Young-gil in 2013, but it was abolished from the urban natural park area on November 14, 2016, during the term of Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok.
The response team noted, "The reason for the abolition stated by Incheon city is that the urban natural park area overlapping with the development-restricted area was abolished according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport guidelines. However, the point at which the Ministry of Land changed the relevant provisions was April 4, 2011, well before Incheon city designated the park area."
They continued, "The relevant provision of these guidelines is not mandatory, but an optional provision that allows for 'change (abolition).' In the metropolitan area, Incheon is the only case that abolished the entire park area, rather than changing or abolishing part of it."
The response team said, "The ratio of private land in the area of the urban natural park that was abolished is 99.2%, and the fact that all of this private land is related to the Choi family is even more notable."
They argued, "Although there was a division of equity gifts targeting descendants of the family regarding this land, candidate Han Duck-soo was exceptionally excluded from the division of equity gifts."
In response, the team pointed out, "Did you think that you could avoid the monitoring of public officials' property disclosure just by not having your name on it?"
The response team also demanded clarification from candidate Han and his spouse regarding whether they made requests to Incheon city about the abolition of the urban natural park area and what the reasons were for the division of equity gifts.
They also demanded that Incheon city clarify whether it was aware that the land in question belonged to the Choi family and whether there were any requests for the abolition of the park area from candidate Han or the Choi family.