A special counsel team has raided the land ministry and consulting firms over allegations that former Land Minister Won Hee-ryong changed the route of a planned expressway to benefit the family of former first lady Kim Keon-hee. 

On Monday morning the team, led by special counsel Min Joong-ki, sent prosecutors and investigators to the ministry and two companies that had conducted a feasibility study for the expressway project.

The former land minister and People Power Party Rep. Kim Sun-gyo were not targets of the raid even though the lawmaker is accused of being involved in changing the route.

In May 2023, right after the launch of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, the endpoint of the envisioned expressway connecting Seoul and Yangpyeong was suddenly changed to a location close to land owned by the former first lady’s family.  

The change drew public backlash, and then-Land Minister Won ultimately scrapped the project.