The special counsel for Kim Keon-hee stated on the 18th that they will summon Ryu Geung-seon, CEO of Kakao Mobility, for investigation related to the allegations regarding 'Kim Ye-seong the steward' at 10 a.m. on the 21st.
On that day, Special Counsel Oh Jeong-hee noted, "In the case of Kakao, which was coordinating the summons concerning the allegations related to the steward, Ryu will be summoned for questioning at 10 a.m. next Monday considering various circumstances."
Mr. Kim is a close associate of Kim Keon-hee and her mother, Choi Eun-soon, and is referred to as a 'steward.' The special counsel team is investigating the reasons behind the 18.4 billion won investment from conglomerates and financial institutions in Mr. Kim's rental car company, IMS Mobility (formerly Bmycar), in 2023. The investing companies include HS HYOSUNG affiliates, Kakao Mobility, Korea Securities Finance, and Kiwoom Securities.
The investing corporations faced risks as they were implicated in the prosecutor's investigation. In this regard, suspicions arose that Mr. Kim had expected to resolve the risks by leveraging his connections with Kim Keon-hee when making the investments. Mr. Kim's company was also listed as an investor in the exhibition planning company, Kobana Contents, operated by Kim Keon-hee.
It is reported that Mr. Kim got to know Kim Keon-hee while attending the Graduate School of Business at Seoul National University in 2010. Mr. Kim served as an auditor for Kobana Contents from 2012 to 2015.
Additionally, the special counsel is investigating allegations that the Yoon Suk-yeol administration changed the endpoint of the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway for the purpose of providing benefits to Kim Keon-hee's family. Special Counsel Oh noted, "We have captured organized actions from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport employees attempting to respond to (the special counsel's investigation) in an organized manner," adding, "Such organized actions obstruct the duties of the special counsel."
The allegations regarding the preferential treatment for the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway state that in May 2023, the year following the launch of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, the endpoint of the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway was suddenly changed from Yangseo-myeon in Yangpyeong-gun to Gangsaeng-myeon, where Kim Keon-hee's family owns 28 plots of land (22,663 square meters). Donghae Comprehensive Construction and Kyungdong Engineering are reportedly participating in services, including this route change.
Also, Special Counsel Oh mentioned, "Regarding the SAMBU Construction case, we plan to reapply for an arrest warrant for former chairman Jo Seong-ok following additional investigations into the reasons cited for the warrant's dismissal," and noted that regarding Jo Won-il, who is imprisoned at Hongseong Prison due to the Lime Fund case, we requested his transfer to the Seoul Southern Detention Center for the special counsel's investigation yesterday and plan to conduct necessary investigations after his transfer next week.