Assemblyman Yoon Hanhong Appears for Comprehensive Special Probe as Suspect in "Presidential Residence Allegations"

Suspected Involvement in Changing Presidential Residence Site and Selecting Contractor
Appears Before Special Investigation Team as a Suspect

Yoon Hanhong, a member of the People Power Party who is suspected of having been involved inappropriately in changing the site and selecting the construction company during the process of relocating the presidential residence, appeared before the second comprehensive special investigation team led by Kwon Changyoung on the 1st of August.

At around 9:30 a.m. on this day, Assemblyman Yoon appeared before the special investigation team as a suspect on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of the exercise of rights.

Yoon Hanhong, a member of the People Power Party, answering questions while attending the comprehensive special investigation. Photo by Yonhap News

Assemblyman Yoon, who served as the head of the Blue House relocation task force team during the administration of President Yoon Suk-yeol, is accused of exerting undue influence in the process of selecting the site and the construction company, overseeing the relocation work for the presidential residence.

The special investigation team is investigating why the site for the presidential residence was changed after Assemblyman Yoon and First Lady Kim Keon Hee visited candidate sites three times in April 2022. According to the special investigation team, the original plan was to move the presidential residence to the Army Chief of Staff's official residence, but after the First Lady's visits, it was changed to the Foreign Minister’s official residence.

The investigation also includes suspicions that Assemblyman Yoon instructed Kim Ojin, the former First Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, to select '21gram', an interior company known to have ties with the First Lady, as the contractor. The special investigation team suspects that '21gram', which does not hold a general construction license, unfairly won the contract for the relocation and expansion of the residence through a private contract.

This company had previously sponsored exhibitions hosted by Cobana Contents, operated by the First Lady, and was responsible for designing and constructing its office space.

The special investigation team plans to focus its questioning of Assemblyman Yoon on the selection process of the presidential residence site and construction company, as well as whether there were any orders or interventions from the upper echelons, including the Office of the President.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.