Ex-land minister to appear for questioning over expressway project

Former Land Minister Won Hee-ryong is set to appear for questioning over a now-scrapped, controversial expressway construction project allegedly involving the family of now-imprisoned former first lady Kim Keon Hee, a special council team said Saturday.

Won, who served as land minister under then-President Yoon Suk Yeol between May 2022 and December 2023, is scheduled to appear for questioning at 10 a.m. on Thursday, the special council team said in a notice to the press.

The Seoul-Yangpyeong expressway project was one of the biggest political issues after allegations were raised that its route was changed to give financial benefits to Kim's family because the new endpoint of the highway is near where her family owns land.

Back then, Won had rejected the allegations and scrapped the project altogether.

The special council team had imposed a travel ban against Won in March and seized the former minister's mobile phone last Wednesday.

Yonhap