The government has requested a prosecution probe into overseas resource development projects conducted during the Lee Myung-bak government.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trade, Industry, and Energy Minister Paik Un-gyu named three projects in which his ministry suspects a breach of public trust. 

Describing the projects as "costly mistakes," he specifically cited the public acquisition of Mexico's Boleo copper mine and Canada's Harvest oil field and West Cut Bank gas field. 

Paik said the 14 trillion won spent on those projects brought negligible benefit to Korea, addin a thorough investigation can help prevent such mistakes in the future.