Former Shinan County Mayor Park Woo-ryang Accused of Corruption in Brother's Land Purchase

It has been found that a significant portion of the approximately 2.73 billion won in private consignment project funds for safe housing for salt farm workers in Shinan County was used to purchase hotel land in the Janggam-ri area of Aprae-eup. Reporters inquired about whether Shinan County had authorized the use of these project funds for purposes other than their intended use, and the basis for such authorization.

Shinan County stated that it had never authorized the use of these project funds for hotel land purchase, thus increasing suspicions of fund misappropriation.

Shinan County considers this act a violation of the Shinan County Ordinance on Promotion and Management of Private Consignment of County Affairs and the consignment contract clauses. In particular, regarding the unilateral false claim that Shinan County approved the use of consignment funds for unintended purposes, Shinan County clearly stated that no such approval was given.

Accordingly, Shinan County is demanding the return of the project funds from the company, but the company is refusing to comply.

Reporters identified the CEO of Jangwon as an accessory in this project fund misappropriation case, and raised suspicions that Chairman Park Woo-deuk and former Shinan County Mayor Park Woo-ryang are accomplices behind him. Chairman Park Woo-deuk is the brother of former Mayor Park Woo-ryang.

Reporters suggested that this incident is not merely a simple misappropriation of project funds but potentially a large-scale corruption involving the former mayor and his relatives.

Reporters questioned Chairman Park Woo-deuk about the reason for purchasing land in Janggam-ri, Aprae-eup, around June 2020 when the national road route was confirmed, and the circumstances under which he sold most of that land to the Jangwon CEO's side in early 2025.

They also asked whether he was aware of or had discussed in advance the fact that the Jangwon CEO's corporate entity purchased that site as hotel land using project funds for the safe housing for salt farm workers in Shinan County.

Reporters questioned former Shinan County Mayor Park Woo-ryang about whether he was involved in or instructed the process of proceeding with the salt farm worker safe housing project in Zone 3 as a private consignment during his tenure, and selecting Jangwon, CEO of Won Architecture Stabianum, as the project operator.

Furthermore, they demanded answers regarding allegations of unreasonable demands related to project fund execution, suspicions that land owned by the mayor's relatives was included within the Janggam-ri hotel site, and allegations of collusion with Jangwon's CEO.

Reporters claimed that former Shinan County Mayor Park Woo-ryang made significant efforts to ensure the victory of candidate Jeong Cheong-rae during the party convention. It was suspected that this was to seek an opportunity for former Mayor Park Woo-ryang to politically recover if candidate Jeong Cheong-rae won.

It was also pointed out that this incident is intertwined with former Mayor Park Woo-ryang's political background and could lead to issues of accountability for former Chairman Jeong Cheong-rae, who decided on the nomination.

Reporters pointed out the possibility of collusion between the local police station and corrupt local officials, arguing that a proper investigation would be difficult if this case were left to the local police station.

Accordingly, they urged that the case be transferred to at least a regional or central investigation agency for a thorough investigation, demanding that the truth be revealed through a fair investigation.