SEOUL– Prosecutors questioned former Industry Minister Paik Un-gyu on Thursday over allegations that while in office he forced the heads of several energy-related state firms to step down.
Paik, the former Moon Jae-in administration’s first minister of trade, industry and energy, is under suspicion of forcing the resignation of heads of state-run energy companies, who were appointed under the preceding Park Geun-hye government, shortly after he took office in 2017.
The Seoul Eastern Prosecutors Office called in Paik as a suspect earlier in the day on charges of abuse of power.
As part of the investigation, prosecutors in May searched Paik’s residence and his office, and the buildings of six energy-related state agencies affiliated with the ministry, and seized a computer and other materials.
The then-main opposition Liberty Korea Party, now called the People Power Party, lodged a criminal complaint against Paik, ex-Vice Industry Minister Lee In-ho and three other high-level ministry officials in 2019.
Lee and other ministry officials accused in the allegations, popularly known as the “industry ministry blacklist,” have been questioned.
Source: Yonhap News Agency