People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo has raised suspicions about Seongdong District Mayor Jeong Won-oh's "Yeosu farmland and healing center," prompting Jeong to strongly rebut the claims as "political mudslinging." The ruling party appears to be mounting successive attacks on Jeong, following Rep. Kim Jae-seop's allegations the previous day with Ahn's charges.
On the 26th, Ahn wrote on Facebook, "The Democratic Party is dismissing the farmland speculation allegations against Seongdong District Mayor Jeong Won-oh raised by our party's Rep. Kim Jae-seop as 'false claims and black propaganda.' However, suspicions extend beyond whether the land was cultivated to the surrounding circumstances."
Ahn claimed that during Jeong's first term, the mayor used Seongdong District budget to establish a "Seongdong District Healing Center" near his own farmland in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province. "Approximately 4 billion won of Seongdong District public funds were spent, including about 500 million won for land and 3.8 billion won for construction," Ahn stated.
"Local government heads typically build resident recreational facilities within their jurisdiction, but Mayor Jeong built Seoul Seongdong District's recreational facility in his hometown of Yeosu—near his own farmland no less," Ahn criticized. "This defies common sense."
Ahn also characterized the healing center's location as being "in the middle of Unification Church development land," claiming, "The Unification Church has been purchasing islands around Hwawang-myeon in Yeosu since the early 2000s and attempted the Hwawang District development project, but for over 20 years they only bought land without proceeding with development, drawing strong resident opposition."
Ahn noted, "There is a youth training center operated by the Unification Church within 2 kilometers of the healing center, and the development plan also specifies 'Healing Center (Seongdong Training Center).'" He added, "One cannot help but suspect whether the processes surrounding the healing center are coordinated with the Unification Church's development plans."
"The fact alone that a Seoul district mayor built a recreational facility with taxpayer money near his own land in his hometown of Yeosu—hundreds of kilometers from his jurisdiction—raises questions about the separation of public and private interests," Ahn stated. "If the location is in the middle of Unification Church development land, suspicions only deepen." He reiterated, "The PPP has consistently called for a special counsel to address ties between political circles and the Unification Church."
Jeong immediately responded on Facebook, countering, "Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo's claims are clearly political mudslinging. I will hold him legally accountable for this blatant false agitation."
He explained, "The Seongdong District Healing Center was a project decided by resident vote. After surveying all 652 closed schools nationwide, it was selected through an online resident poll in 2015 in which 10,395 Seongdong District residents directly participated." The closed schools in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, and Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, which ranked first and second, were sequentially converted into healing centers, with the Yeosu closed school becoming the current "Seongdong District Healing Center Hyu Yeosu Camp."
Jeong stated, "The healing center also ranked high in the 'Seongdong News of the Year' chosen by residents. To brand this as 'a decision made for personal gain' is an insult to all Seongdong District residents."
Regarding Ahn's designation of the site as "Unification Church development land," Jeong rebutted, "The claim that the healing center site is owned by the Unification Church is also false. The site is state and public property that was legally purchased for 860 million won from the South Jeolla Yeosu Office of Education as a closed school."
He added, "Operating recreational facilities outside one's jurisdiction is standard local administration. Multiple districts including Yongsan, Seocho, and Dongdaemun operate recreational facilities outside their jurisdictions in connection with sister cities."
Regarding Ahn's claim that Jeong "built the healing center near his own farmland," the mayor countered, "The claim that it is 'near' my farmland is also false. The straight-line distance between the two locations is approximately 11 kilometers, and about 20 kilometers by road."
"Yesterday it was Rep. Kim Jae-seop, today Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo," Jeong stated. "This shows the true face of the PPP—uninterested in policy competition or people's livelihoods, unconcerned with facts, determined only to smear opponents." Jeong reiterated his intention to pursue legal action, stating, "The PPP must bear due responsibility for raising groundless suspicions."