A police-led inter-agency government team investigating real estate speculation allegations involving public officials is currently looking into three lawmakers, two ranking officials and 19 local council members.

Choi Seung-ryeol from the National Investigation Headquarters, who heads the team, made the announcement in a Wednesday briefing.

He said a total of 89 suspected cases involving 398 individuals are under investigation at the moment and the numbers are likely to change.

Choi said that of the 400 or so suspects, 85 are civil servants and 31 are employees of the Korea Land and Housing Corporation(LH), from which the latest scandal first erupted.

Choi stressed that measures will be sought to retrieve illicit property and gains earned from speculative activities by ways of confiscation, forfeiture and asset preservation.

The inter-agency team is also analyzing land transaction data related to housing development sites with financial watchdog agencies, tax authorities and the Korea Real Estate Board, and found 22 suspected violators of the Farmland Act so far.