Special Prosecutor Indicts Kim Keonhee and Yun Han-hong for Involvement in Preferential Selection of 21Gram in Presidential Residence Relocation
Kim Keonhee Charged with Abuse of Authority and Bribery
Yun Han-hong Charged with Abuse of Authority and Violating Construction Law
"Confirmed Involvement in Changing Residence Site and Contractor"
The second Special Prosecutor team led by Kwon Chang-young has indicted First Lady Kim Keonhee and opposition lawmaker Yun Han-hong for their alleged involvement in selecting 21Gram, an unqualified company, as the contractor during the relocation of the Presidential Residence.
On the 18th, the special prosecutor’s office announced that Kim Keonhee, Yun Han-hong, and others have been indicted without detention. Kim Keonhee is charged with abuse of authority and obstructing the exercise of rights, as well as accepting bribes under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. Yun Han-hong faces charges of abuse of authority, obstruction of the exercise of rights, and violating the Framework Act on the Construction Industry.
The Special Prosecutor’s team believes that in April 2022, Kim Keonhee and Yun Han-hong instructed officials involved in preparing the Presidential Residence renovation to facilitate discussions between 21Gram’s representative, surnamed Kim, and a licensed construction business, so that the latter’s credentials could be used. The team also determined that Kim Keonhee and the representative improperly signed a private contract with 21Gram in violation of applicable laws and regulations.
At that time, Yun Han-hong served as the head of the Presidential Transition Committee’s task force overseeing the relocation of both the Presidential Residence and the Presidential Office.
The Special Prosecutor’s office found that although the residence of the Army Chief of Staff was initially selected and announced as the relocation site, Kim Keonhee, Yun Han-hong, and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyeon visited the Foreign Minister’s official residence several times, after which the site for the Presidential Residence was changed. The contractor likewise changed to 21Gram under the instructions of Kim Keonhee and Yun Han-hong.
The Special Prosecutor’s team has also confirmed that in May 2022, Yun Han-hong’s office requested budget details and CCTV/photo materials related to events held at the Foreign Minister’s residence, and that Yun Han-hong personally visited the construction site after the presidential inauguration to inspect progress.
21Gram is a company that both sponsored exhibitions hosted by Cobana Contents, operated by Kim Keonhee, and handled office design and construction. The Special Prosecutor’s team has charged Kim Keonhee with accepting money under the pretense of facilitating the awarding of the renovation contract to 21Gram and providing favorable terms for construction costs.
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The Special Prosecutor’s team announced that allegations that were confirmed in the course of the investigation, but are not within the scope of the special prosecution—such as suspicions that the Presidential Security Service split contracts to pay 21Gram—will be handed over to the National Investigation Headquarters.
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