Cheong Wa Dae has disciplined and dismissed Chunchugwan Director Kim Sang-ho following controversy over an illegally extended unit in a multi-family housing building he owns.
A Cheong Wa Dae official said Tuesday that Kim's dismissal had received final approval.
The controversy arose after it emerged that the first floor of a five-story multi-family housing building Kim owns in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, had been illegally extended and was being rented out as a studio apartment.
Kim said the parking space had already been converted into a studio unit when he purchased the building, but added that he was "taking the matter seriously, as the necessary administrative procedures were not completed in time."
Cheong Wa Dae made the decision after investigating the facts surrounding the illegal extension allegations against Kim.
A former journalist, Kim first connected with President Lee Jae Myung in 2017 while assisting with messaging work near the end of Lee's tenure as Seongnam mayor, then formally joined Lee's campaign for the 2018 Gyeonggi Province gubernatorial election.
He went on to hold senior communications roles during the 21st and 22nd presidential elections and while Lee served as party leader, including chief senior adviser, head of the press affairs team and media aide.
sang@heraldcorp.com
