People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Han-hong answers reporters' questions as he arrives at the comprehensive special prosecutor's office in Gwacheon on Saturday to be questioned as a suspect on charges of abuse of authority in connection with alleged irregularities surrounding the presidential residence relocation project. [Yonhap]
People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Han-hong answers reporters' questions as he arrives at the comprehensive special prosecutor's office in Gwacheon on Saturday to be questioned as a suspect on charges of abuse of authority in connection with alleged irregularities surrounding the presidential residence relocation project. [Yonhap]

People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Han-hong appeared before the comprehensive special prosecutor's team on Saturday and denied allegations that he improperly intervened in the relocation of the presidential residence.

Yoon arrived at the special prosecutor's office at around 9:30 a.m. and told reporters, "The residence construction took place after the transition committee ended and after (former President Yoon Suk Yeol's) inauguration — it has nothing to do with me."

The special prosecutor's team began questioning Yoon from 10 a.m. as a suspect on charges of abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights. It is the first time he has been questioned as a suspect since the special prosecutor raided his office in March as its first compulsory investigative action.

Yoon served as head of the task force overseeing the presidential residence relocation from Cheong Wa Dae during the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. The special prosecutor's team has focused on the fact that the candidate site changed after Yoon made three advance visits to potential locations with first lady Kim Keon Hee in April 2022. The team has reportedly pinpointed the timeline to April 8, 2022, when Kim toured a candidate site, and April 11, when she is said to have directed that the residence be moved to the foreign minister's official residence. Investigators suspect Yoon instructed former Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Vice Minister Kim O-jin to arrange for interior firm 21gram — a company with close ties to Kim Keon Hee — to be awarded the residence construction contract.

The presidential residence had originally been slated to move to the Army Chief of Staff's official residence. The special prosecutor believes the site was changed to the foreign minister's official residence without clear justification following Kim Keon Hee's site visit.

Investigators believe that in the process, 21gram — an unqualified firm lacking a general construction license — received preferential treatment through a sole-source contract for the residence relocation and expansion work.

21gram had sponsored exhibitions organized by Covana Contents, a company formerly run by Kim Keon Hee, and also handled its office design and construction. Kim is said to have had a close personal relationship with the spouse of 21gram's chief executive.

In connection with allegations of budget misappropriation related to the residence relocation, former Minister of Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min and former presidential chief of staff Kim Dae-gi have been indicted. Audit commissioner Yoo Byeong-ho has been taken into custody and is under investigation over allegations of a lenient audit. The special prosecutor also raided the Public Procurement Service on July 12 in connection with the residence relocation allegations. On July 22, Kim Keon Hee was summoned as a suspect. After completing its probe of the former minister, the special prosecutor's team is expected to concentrate its investigative resources on higher-level figures, including former President Yoon Suk Yeol and Kim Keon Hee.


cook@heraldcorp.com