[2026 National Audit] Kim Eunhye: "Moon Administration Illegally Surveilled 19 Real Estate Experts, Collected Housing Ownership Records"

"Surveillance of 19 Private Individuals Including Experts
Collection of Housing Ownership Histories and Policy Statements"
Democratic Party: "Authenticity Unverified... Potential for Political Strife"

During the Moon Jae-in administration, allegations have emerged that the government collected statements from experts and YouTubers who made comments opposing government real estate policies, as well as surveilled their housing ownership histories.

On October 7, Kim Eunhye, a member of the People Power Party, stated during the National Assembly Land Infrastructure and Transport Committee audit, "In 2019, there was a department within the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport that specifically targeted certain private individuals, collecting and reporting their statements criticizing real estate policies."

Eunhye Kim, Member of the People Power Party. Photo by Yonhap News

Assemblywoman Kim claimed, "It has been confirmed that documents were prepared and reported under instructions from the Housing Policy Division of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to Korea Real Estate Board at the time. These reports included 19 people, such as well-known YouTubers whose names are widely recognized, prominent business figures, and former journalists."

According to the 'Real Estate Illegal Private Surveillance Blacklist Document' disclosed by Assemblywoman Kim, the material contains statements made by 19 private individuals from 2018 to 2019 regarding the government's real estate policy. It also included an analysis of their history of owning or selling homes in specific areas, as well as correlations between their major activities and their real estate holdings.

The report actually notes, for instance, that Mr. A had records of owning homes in Gangnam District, Gyeonggi Province, and Gwacheon, which was classified as a notable detail. Furthermore, it analyzed Mr. A's comments predicting a strong housing market in Seoul and the metropolitan area, claiming a correlation between his statements and his ownership of property in Gangnam District.

Assemblywoman Kim criticized, "The government labeled those who opposed its stance as market disruptors and compiled a blacklist. It thoroughly and illegally searched the personal assets of the 19 private individuals it had targeted."

This led to confusion at the scene, as members of the Democratic Party objected, arguing that the documents’ authenticity had not been confirmed. Bok Giwang, a member of the Democratic Party, pointed out, "Declaring materials whose validity has not been verified as fact on the very first day of the audit turns the session into a venue for political strife." In response, Kim Mi-ae, a member of the People Power Party, said, "Citizens who claim they were subject to illegal surveillance simply for criticizing policies have come forward to raise suspicions and ask for help," and expressed regret over attempts to turn the session into a political battlefield.

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