The police have launched a massive joint investigative unit consisting of over 700 police officers and government inspectors to look into allegations of shady land purchases by public officials. 

A senior official of the National Investigation Headquarters under the National Police Agency told reporters on Wednesday that the special intergovernmental investigative headquarters was formed at the order of Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun. 

The new structure will mobilize 680 police officers dispatched from regional police agencies across the country and 90 officials from the National Investigation Headquarters, National Tax Service and Financial Services Commission. 

The size of the ad-hoc investigative unit is nearly 10 times bigger than what police had initially planned prior to the prime minister's instructed enforcement, stressing a zero tolerance policy towards any unlawful act found in the process. 

The National Investigation Headquarters official vowed a broad investigation into suspicious property trades involving insider information by government and public officials, saying not only the cases regarding Korea Land and Housing Corporation and central government agencies but also land developments pursued by regional governments will be scrutinized.