Anchor: The government has identified seven more public officials suspected of buying land for speculation at a state-run development company and the Transport Ministry in a preliminary investigation, bringing the total number to 20.
Park Jong-hong has the details.

Report: Seven more people are now suspected of land speculation at the Korea Land and Housing Corporation(LH).

At a press conference Thursday, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun announced the results of the government's preliminary investigation into the growing corruption scandal.

He said investigators looked into more than 14-thousand staff and executives at LH and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and found suspicious land purchases by a total of 20 people.

The purchases were centered in the Gwangmyeong-Siheung area in Gyeonggi Province, locations that have been tapped for a major public housing development project. 

Chung said the government is declaring war against real estate crime and added it will come up with special measures to sternly punish illegal and unfair practices and firmly enforce them.

Meanwhile, the government plans to swiftly carry out a similar investigation into senior officials of Gyeonggi Province, Incheon, local governments and regional public corporations. 
Park Jong-hong, KBS World Radio News.