SEOUL, South Korea – Choi Eun-soon, the mother-in-law of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, has been formally referred to the prosecution on June 18, 2025, facing charges of violating South Korea’s Farmland Act by illegally leasing agricultural land in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province. The referral was announced by the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency's Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Unit, following an investigation prompted by a civic group's complaint.
According to police findings, Ms. Choi is accused of illegally leasing two plots of farmland, collectively spanning approximately 3,300 square meters, located in Yangpyeong-eup, Yangpyeong-gun. The alleged illegal leasing activities occurred between 2021 and 2023. Investigations revealed that Ms. Choi had owned the land since 2005 but had never personally engaged in farming activities on the property, a requirement under the Farmland Act for agricultural land ownership.
The case originated from a complaint filed by a civic organization, which alleged that Ms. Choi acquired the Yangpyeong farmland for speculative real estate purposes rather than for direct cultivation. While earlier investigations into the speculative acquisition claims in 2023 were closed due to the expiration of the five-year statute of limitations, the police launched a new inquiry specifically targeting the illegal leasing aspect of the Farmland Act, which also carries a five-year statute of limitations. Ms. Choi has reportedly admitted to the charges during police questioning.
This referral marks another legal challenge for Ms. Choi, who was previously convicted and imprisoned in 2023 for forging bank balance certificates in a separate real estate transaction. In that case, the Supreme Court upheld a one-year prison sentence for her involvement in fabricating financial documents to secure property.
Furthermore, the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency is reportedly continuing its re-investigation into allegations that ESI&D, a company linked to Ms. Choi’s family, received preferential treatment in a residential development project in the Gyeongheung District of Yangpyeong. These ongoing investigations underscore continued scrutiny over Ms. Choi's various business and real estate dealings.
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