Special Prosecutor's Task Force summons Kim Keon Hee on the 19th over alleged preferential treatment in the presidential residence relocation case

[Financial News] The Special Prosecutor's Task Force, led by Kwon Chang-young and investigating allegations of preferential treatment in the presidential residence relocation, will question Kim Keon Hee as a suspect on the 19th. In connection with the case involving obstruction of the execution of an arrest warrant, it has also notified People Power Party lawmakers Na Kyung-won and Kim Gi-hyeon to appear again.
At a regular briefing on the 13th, Assistant Special Prosecutor Kim Ji-mi said, "We plan to summon Mrs. Kim on Sunday, the 19th, to investigate allegations that she was involved in selecting the contractor for the presidential residence construction." Kim's side has said it will comply with the summons, and the questioning is scheduled for the morning of the 19th.
The task force is reportedly considering applying charges of receiving mediation in violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes and abuse of authority to obstruct the exercise of rights.
Investigators suspect that 21 Grams, an unqualified contractor, provided Kim Keon Hee with expensive luxury goods such as Christian Dior clothing and, in return, used her position as the president's spouse to exert influence so it could win the contract for the residence construction. They also believe she was involved in illegally diverting Ministry of the Interior and Safety funds in collusion with former administrative secretary Kim Oh-jin.
Separately, former Board of Audit and Inspection member Yoo Byung-ho is also being questioned as a suspect from the morning of the same day over the presidential residence relocation allegations. He is accused of abusing his authority during the audit of the relocation process.
In a statement, Yoo's side argued that the audit at the time was lawful, saying, "The special counsel is ignoring the full facts and audit results confirmed and handled by the audit team, and is instead cherry-picking only a very small part of the entire project and exaggerating it to raise a false issue."
The investigation into obstruction of the execution of the arrest warrant is also continuing. Because lawmakers Na Kyung-won and Kim Gi-hyeon submitted only written opinions and did not appear in person, the task force has again notified them to appear on the 20th. By contrast, lawmakers Kwon Young-jin and Yoon Sang-hyun, who had also been summoned, reportedly submitted written responses.
The task force said it secured meaningful evidence, including instructions and memos written at the time, after questioning two subordinates of Cho Sung-hyun, then commander of the 1st Security Group under the Capital Defense Command, in connection with his alleged involvement in a key role in the insurrection.
Assistant Special Prosecutor Kim said, "Commander Cho generally stated that he could not remember the parts that were unfavorable to him, and said he learned of his subordinates' movements only afterward." A second round of questioning for Cho is scheduled for the 15th.
A summons for former Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Won Hee-ryong in connection with allegations that the Seoul–Yangpyeong Expressway project was scrapped again fell through. The task force sent him two summonses, but they were not delivered because no one was available to receive them. The task force plans to try again, assuming its investigation period is extended. Although it has found no evidence that Won was involved in changing the route, it is focusing on the legality of the process and procedures behind the "scrapping announcement," which differed from the ministry's existing policy direction at the time.
In addition, the task force requested arrest warrants for Kang Ho-pil, former commander of the Army Ground Operations Command, on charges of playing a key role in the insurrection, and for Lee Si-won, former senior civil affairs secretary at the presidential office, on charges of leaking official secrets.
Lee is accused of leaking the search plan by passing along in advance information about the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency's search of the 1st Marine Division at the time of the death of Marine Chae.
 
[email protected] Choi Eun-sol Reporter