Presidential office says Land Ministry will deal with highway project controversy

Lawmakers of the Democratic Party hold an emergency press conference on the scrapped Seoul-Yangpyeong expressway project at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, Sunday. [NEWS1]

The presidential office said Sunday that the controversy over the cancellation of the highway project connecting Seoul with Yangpyeong in Gyeonggi is "an issue that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport should take care of."

On Thursday, Land Minister Won Hee-ryong said the government is scrapping the Seoul-Yangpyeong expressway development project, blaming fake news instigated by the Democratic Party (DP). The announcement came amid reports that the highway endpoint was purportedly changed to benefit first lady Kim Keon-hee and her family.

"I am aware that the opposing [Democratic Party] raised a political issue, and the voices of the people of Yangpyeong were also heard and discussed at the National Assembly level," a presidential official told reporters in a briefing Sunday when asked about the controversy. "Since the opposing party raised a political issue in relation to this issue, the position of the presidential office has come out indirectly. I believe it is right to go in the direction that the opposing parties discuss in the future."

The controversy was sparked when JTBC reported Tuesday that the Land Ministry changed the endpoint of the highway connecting Seoul and Yangpyeong.

According to the report, the endpoint was Yangseo-myeon in Yangpyeong in the original 2017 plan. The same plan was intact during the preliminary feasibility study two years ago.

However, the destination was changed to Gangsang-myeon, which is around 12 kilometers (7.4 miles) south of Yangseo-myeon, in November.

The final destination is just 500 meters (1,640 feet) away from lands owned by the first lady and her family. First lady Kim and her family reportedly own 22,663 square meters (5.6 acres) of land in the area.

DP lawmakers accused Land Minister Won of "distorting the truth and misleading the people with false facts" in an emergency press conference at the National Assembly Sunday.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]